The Lost Innocence
by Halibel14th
Summary: A Shinigami was killed by a hollow or so they thought. A stolen Innocence fell into the hands of an unkowing shinigami. The heart surfaces but who possesses it? Two great enemies working together?
1. Chapter 1

Author's note:

[Hi guys! This is my first time doing a story. So I hope you'll like it.

Thanks to my friend that I had some ideas to spice up the story.

If there are any questions or suggestions, I'm happy to hear those reactions as a first time author.

Set in the 21st century.

Allen has unlocked his _crowned clown, _Lenalee with an upgraded dark boots. The black order is not destroyed but Allen is being watched by Howard link.

* * *

><p>Chapter 1<p>

[A mission ]

A random Shinigami is out patrolling a town when he suddenly spotted a bunch of grey machines with cannons (akuma) Believing that it was hollows, without hesitating, he lunged into the scene, and tried to kill them. Unfortunately, he got shot from behind, due to the akuma virus injected into his blood. In a matter of seconds, his body crystallized and broke. He died.

The akumas level one, two and three lingers on a neighboring town of Karakura town where a shinigami was murdered. Back at the Soul Society, the deceased shinigami's friends noticed that their dear friend isn't back for a week. They became worried and asked permission to their captain if they can go and search for their missing friend. The captain agreed and brought 20 people with them.

* * *

><p><strong>Black order<strong>

Komui lee dispatched Allen, Lavi, Lenalee and Kanda to an unknown town where most of the akuma are making a beeline for. Komui believes that it is due to an innocence fragment. They leave through the underground river that the Black order has. It was silent when Lavi farted. They all laughed and coughed and the teasing began.

"That stinks, Lavi! " Lenalee said, coughing.

"You don't as much as I do, but man that stinks! I could barely breath!" Kanda is silently enduring the pain in the nostrils.

"What if Allen farted, what would happen to your lungs?" Lavi teased all bursted out laughing except for Kanda who let out a chuckle when evreryone stared at him like

' omg. Has the world gone mad?' Kanda is pissed off by their stupid-looking faces and drew his sword at Kanda and Allen who looked like idiots.

"That's unfair!" Lavi protested.

"Why couldn't Lenalee get pointed by your blade?" Lavi said.

"Why would I point _A blade_ towards a woman who has lost consciousness due to your stench?" Kanda replied.

The two of them stared at her with shameful eyes.

"We have arrived at our destination" the finder said.

"That was rather fast." Allen commented.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Author's note:

[~let's make the shinigamis or the lost spirits that walked the face of the earth visible for the innocence users.]

"Lenalee, Wake up!" Allen shakes her awake.

They have arrived. They got off the boat with the finder.

AS they traversed the road, Allen's eye has activated.

"Jump!" he shouted. They all jumped and activated their Innocence.

Five level ones have materialized from the ground. Then in an instant, the weaklings were defeated.

"che" Kanda complained. "

Why are you complaining?" Allen asked.

"Is it because there were no challenge for you or because –" his sentence was cut off when a swarm of akumas have appeared. All of them sprung into action. Lenalee kicked and smashed the level two akumas behind the off-guard Allen who was fighting another akuma at the moment.

"Thanks, Lenalee" he whispered .Then an angry Link appeared.

"Allen Walker! How dare you leave me behnd! Do you want me to file a complaint against you ? and why didn't use the 14th's powers?" He bellowed at him.

Allen stared at him with a blank face and replied,

" It was a rush, And furthermore I Intentionally used the boat because this town is just near the order. And I forgot about you." _And I don't need you to babysit me._

Allen clawed the akuma nearby Link. Lavi used fire seal and killed all of the akuma near him burned Kanda on the far end of the battle who is battling dozens of akumas. Everyone wondered where the people around here had gone to. After they wiped out the Akuma forces in the vicinity. They were all going to ask the same question

"where did all the people go ?" they asked altogether.

"Where's the finder? " Lenalee asked.

"Maybe he died from an akuma virus."

"Where's link ?" Lavi asked? Link appeared behind him and when Lavi noticed his presence, he jumped and screamed and fell to the floor.

"You scared me!"

They checked the buildings then saw a horrific scene that they have never seen before. The houses that are filled with bullets from the akuma are no more than ruins and shards. There were deceased people that had turned into dust.

"We were too late" Allen said , his voice wavered.

"Don't go blaming yourself again. Besides the attacks had mysteriously begun a day ago." Lenalee said as she pats Allen's back who looked like he was about to cry.

The air was silent and cold. Then a circular gate came out of nowhere filled with light. Kanda had stepped on a man that had been garbed in black kimono and on his waist a sword was strapped. Though that man had been obviously infected by the akuma virus.

He examined it carefully until he heard Lenalee's distress on what she saw. They all looked up and saw twenty five men in black kimono (like the guy who lay at the ground) carrying unsheathed swords that swung at their sides came out of the gate which is seemingly connected to another dimension.

" What the heck is that?" Lavi asked.

The men jumped down and landed on the ruins. They saw the four people standing still with shocked faces on the carnage. A shinigami walked towards Kanda when he saw their missing friend's corpse by his foot.

"You killed him!" he shouted in anger.

"I didn't kill him, We just arrived here a little while ago. How would I even kill the likes of you when I don't even know you? " he said with a serious face not looking on the man who accused him for his fiend's murder.

"Yeah! how could you just accuse him like that?" Lenalee said.

"What are you people?"

They didn't answer. Allen's left eye activated. Level threes had come.

"Shit" Lavi said." He turned towards the men and screamed, "Run!"

Allen ordered them to run due to the approaching danger, but they just laughed at him like he was telling them a joke. They unsheathed their swords to prepare for a fight.(the level threes are not their usual enemies)

"Idiots! Get away! They're too strong for you! Run!" Lavi shouted.

"Please let us handle these matters with us Exorcists!" Allen said, but they laughed and one of them said ,

"Who do you think we are kids? I'm a shini-"He got a deathblow from behind and soon the others got locked in battle. The men scrambled for their swords but it was too late. Almost all of their forces have disintegrated.

" a—r—ee? Done already? I thought this would be fun… hehehee" The akuma said.

He slowly descended and walked. Crunching sounds can be heard due to the corpses of the shinigami.

" See, I told you to leave this to us." Kanda said grumpily, unsheathing his sword.

Meanwhile, Lenalee loops in the air killing akumas with her newly upgraded Dark Boots. They are busy fighting. Booming sounds everywhere while the others stared in amazement. Allen's radio transmitter spoke.

"Allen, I've got the innocence. There's too many akuma around here.

"By the way, where are you?" Allen asked Link who was at the other end of the line.

"In a chapel that was not yet destroyed." He goes all the way to the chapel killing the akumas that got in his way. Suddenly a man in black shoved him and Allen tumbles. He approached the chapel door.

" I won't let you have all the fun, exorcist!" he said. I need to get _that_._ for Aizen-sama._

"Cut the crap, this isn't the time for selfishness! Please get out of the way or I'll make you move!" He used crown belt but the shinigami sheared it. Allen attacked again which have sent the shinigami flying towards a building. With that chance, he runs fast and meets with Link to retrieve the innocence.

The others have defeated the akumas.

"What are you guys?" Lavi asked. The other one answered his question.

"We're shinigami" he replied.

"What's a shini-gon-ni? No wonder the others were dead in no time. Death Gods? You call yourself 'god' when you can't even kill one of those things." Kanda said with distaste.

"How dare you? Wanna fight?"

The two clashed swords and the shinigami ends up on the ground having his throat below Kanda's blade. Kanda is kind enough to let that go.

"Che. Arrogant fool"

"Well what are you guys?" the shinigami asked.

"Weren't you listening? we're Exorcists." Lavi said mockingly.

Allen had retrieved the innocence when he got hit on the head by the shinigami whom he fought earlier and Allen is knocked out unconscious.

"What do you think you're doing?" Link demanded.

The man gets the innocence and that clearly stated that has business with the innocence. Soon the two clashed swords.

"What are you, and what do you want with the innocence?"Link asked once more but he got no response.

The battle is one-sided. Link gets the upper hand. He just grins at him. The shinigami is soon defeated.

"I don't know what your intention is but I don't want to take the lives of the fools."

Link weighed his potions. _I should leave him alone. I don't know what kind of organization this person's with. better not mess with him. We don't want trouble... but..._

_H_e retreived the Innocence from the man.

The shinigami is badly wounded was left alone.

A stupid choice. the shinigami thought.

"Shikai!" The shinigami yelled, summoning a fog which made Link fall and sleep.

The shinigami took the Innocence from Link and activated a portal to Sereitei.

**Black order**

Allen wakes up in the infirmary.

"What happened?" he asked.

"You missed out all the fun , Allen." Lavi said.

"You got hit by a rock on the head.. how careless you are.." Lenalee said.

"now that you mention it, what happened to the innocence?" he asked.

"Innocence? Oh. Its with….. it can't be!" link said..

"Could it be… that… the man in black stole it from me when I collapsed?"

"What do they want with the Innocence?"

**Soul society**

Head captain Yamamoto Genryusai is alerted by the mysterious slayings of shinigamis in the real world,thus sending Squad 10's captain and vice captain to the real world.

Kuchiki Rukia is on her way to the Real world to report the alert in the Soul Society when she encountered injured shinigamis being hauled into the Squad 4's barracks. She caught a glimpse of red crystals that formed on a shinigami's head.

"Medic! Squad 4!" they came hurriedly to treat the injured. Although it bothered her, she proceeded to her destination.

**World of the living**

"Mr. Urahara!" Rukia asked.

"Can I come in? can I get my gigai?"

there was only silence. Strange. She thought. So she decided to go to Ichigo's room to report the events. She found Ichigo doing his homework. Ichigo noticed Rukia's presence and looked up but Rukia was standing next to him and is staring at his wrong answers.

Bang! Their heads collided.

"Ow! That hurts!" they complained.

"I'm sorry."

"What was that for , idiot?" Rukia complained .

"It's your fault for staring at me like that. " Ichigo replied.

" Well it's not my fault because your answers were all wrong!" she replied cheekily.

"Why you…-" Rukia punched him on the gut.

"Stop being a fool Ichigo."

"Oof!"

"I'm here to report the slayings that had occurred on that town. There were many soul reaper casualties. Then there's one thing that creeps me out… The deceased ones are hardened, later on turning into dust... and there's one building that stood unscathed while everything around it was destroyed."

That sent chills on Ichi's spine.

"Have you heard about it?" He shook his head.

"Where is mr. Urahara? I want to use my gigao for easy investigation." She said.

Just then, a small stature with white hair and a captain's haori and a tall woman with orange hair appeared on his window and jumped in.

"What're you doing here toshiro?" Ichigo asked.

"What brings you here captain?" Rukia asked.

"I'm not toshiro! I'm Capyain Hitsugaya!How many times must I say that!?"

The two teased each other until there was a knock on the door.

"nii- chan?" it was Karin. Ichigo's sister.

"may I come in?"

"sure. Just a second" he replied.

"are you going to hide?" he asked. "

why ? there's no use when she can't see us." Before they could argue, the door creaked open. Karin spotting toshiro, matsumoto and rukia in their Shinigami form. Her face was full of joy.

"What are you doing here Toshiro?" she runs towards him and pats his head.

" I told you that she can see us." Hitsugaya said.

"Toshiro!long time-no see! Have you come here to visit the grannies again?"

Matsumoto giggles and drops to the floor, rolling. She noticed Rukia her 'adopted' sister was a shinigami.

"You… I knew it all along." She whispered. "but don't worry because I won't tell anyone. Cuz toshiro and I are friends" She said with reassurance.

"he even played soccer with me and my friends." Karin eyed her friend who sat casually at her brother's bed.

Rukia with a stunned look sat on Ichigo's bed.

"Damn that man.. If he were just at the shop.." Rukia said in a trance.

"Why did you come here?" Ichi asked.

"I came here to borrow your guitar." She replied.

**Soul Society**

"What is this?" Unohana Retsu touched the Innocence with care. She held it carefully as she placed it in her pocket

(there is a hidden pocket that shinigamis have in their uniform) She glanced at the shinigami as she felt the power surge through her.

**SOMEWHERE UNKNOWN**

"How did you lose it?!" A man bellowed.

The man being shouted at apologized profusely, promisisng that next time, he would be able to do it right.

"Well... what do you expect from a lowlife?" the man glared at the shinigami who has been cured by Unohana Retsu's team.

"I'm so sorry for being born Aizen-sama!"

Author's note:

there are more new and more exciting scenes to come!


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

**Dark Order**

"What do you mean it's stolen?" Leverrier barked at the Inspector.

Link scrambled for words and is about to reply when Leverrier shouted at him again.

"and… by who? I'm so…" Breathing heavily, he collapsed. He grabbed at his chest. Link stood up and hurried to his chief and sat down and shook him.

"Chief! Chief!" Link panicked. He rushed him in the infirmary and waited there for a couple of hours . Link had slept in the clinic guarding his chief. Leverrier woke up and sat up waking up the inspector. He cleared his throat causing the blonde sleeping guy to wake up.

"Chief!" he said worrily.

"The head nurse said that you have suffered from a heart attack!" he said quickly.

Leverrier didn't seem to care if he had that kind of condition. He said straightforwardly,

"send the capable exorcists to find the innocence. They're not too far I believe."

Link stood up and headed for the door, ready to execute his orders.

" And .." he coughed a bit and continued

"this time, since there are no akumas involved… let them be like ordinary civilians for today and they are required to bring their innocence with them."

He inhaled and exhaled before he continued.

"the men in black… investigate it while letting them do the work." He said.

"Yes sir!" Link replied and walked out of the door giving his Chief a worried glance before heading out.

"And sir, please do rest or the head nurse'll scold you." He said over his shoulder.

While walking on the corridors, he encountered a girl with red eyes with long hair. A new face. The girl looked at him.

"Hello." She greeted. she looked like she was lost or something.

"umm… I haven't seen you around here so I think you're new here." Link said.

" Are you an exorcist?" Link asked. She shook her head lightly and replied

" I'm about to be one… I'm just looking for my room." She looks around.

"Oh. Do you know where your room is ?" Link asked.

"yeah. But this place is like a maze… everything looks just the same." She sighs.

"Oh, by the way, I'm Claire." She said.

"Howard Link." He said.

"Everyone's going to a mission in just a few hours so please prepare your things and do wear civilian clothes not the order's uniform . We shall meet with the others in the lounge in an 20 minutes."

She nodded and walked on the stone hallway and disappeared. Link got a cellular phone from his pocket and dialed the Exorcists' numbers. She finally found her room and dropped her luggage while Link issued an order to all Exorcists.

"Calling all exorcists, we'll depart on a mission in just an hour. We'll meet in the lounge in 20 minutes." He said through the phone and shut it. On the other side of the line, there was Lavi, Kanda, Lenalee, Allen and Crowley. Before the given time, they agreed to go to the meeting place together. The group of Exorcists sat on the couches while joking around.

"Why is it always _us?_" Lavi complained.

Lenalee raised her eyebrow.

"So you don't want _us_ to be with you?" she asked.

"No. I'm just saying"- he scratches his head and smiles. -"that why is it always us stuck together?" he gestured his fingers like scissors. Allen looks at Lavi and says

"Yeah. Now that I think of it …Don't you think-"

"It must be fate!" Lavi cried .

He looks at Kanda who is totally bored and is making some funny noises indicating that he wants the conversation to cease. Before Allen could react and start a war again with Kanda, They saw Allen Walker's watchman, Howard Link with a girl. Both of their backs are facing against them.

"Is time really that fast? Was it already twenty minutes?" Lenalee said while blinking her eyes in surprise.

"Link!" Allen yelled across the room waving his hands when Link and the girl with him looked his way. They walked towards Allen and his group of close friends.

"Who's that – ." Allen begins to ask Lavi when Lavi shouted

"Strike!" Allen slapped his forehead.

_Another girl that is… and a pretty one I think… _ Allen thought miserably.

He sighed and tried to call for the boy who had hearts on his eyes. Before Lavi could run into them, Allen grabbed his collar to stop him from running and luckily, it worked. Kanda, annoyed who is trying to silence Lavi began talking about how flirty he is.

Lenalee is trying to cool Kanda down. They stopped and looked up when Link cleared his throat. They straightened themselves up and looked like nothing has happened.

"This is-." Link started but the girl beside him continued his sentence for him in a serious voice.

"Claire Katherine Evans." The girl beside him finished for him.

She had beautiful crimson eyes with thick lashes framing her big eyes. A pointed nose and closed lips that bears no hint of a smile. Her thick dark straight hair hung behind her slim shoulders. She had an average height, maybe her height is in five feet something. Claire offered her hand to the people staring at her. Their minds seemed to be malfunctioning because they aren't reaching out their hands in return t shake her hand. She blinked and started to retreat her hand when the people who were supposed to shake her hand snapped back to their rightful minds. Each took their turn in shaking hands and introducing themselves and adding

" nice to meet you" or "I look forward on working with you" and exchanged smiles.

Except for one snobby guy named Kanda, didn't smile.

_Great! Another girl became an exorcist._ Lenalee thought happily.

"So we'll be departing in a mission in an hour." Link explained.

They all nodded in agreement.

**Karakura Town**

"She's so damn good!" Ichigo exclaimed.

"I agree." Rukia said.

"I bet she's even better than you." Rukia said , elbowing Ichigo.

" Hey, what's that guitar sitting around in your room for? You never used it anyway… I never heard you play when I visit here." Matsumoto said.

"Right, Captain?" She added, knowing her captain is clearly spacing out and is staring at Karin's fingers as they shift quickly from one chord to another.

She guffawed at her captain who was still staring. Ichigo and Rukia looked at Hitsugaya Toshiro, Matsumoto's Captain and they laughed. Karin stopped playing, wondering what's so funny. She looked up and saw her friend snapped out of his gawking. Hitsugaya let out a little breath and quickly added

"ah… you're good." After praising her, he glared at Ichigo, the Substitute Soul Reaper for teasing him.

"Shiro- chan, do you know how to play any instrument?" Karin asked but she didn't get a reply.

"hey, when did you learn to play and when did you-" Ichigo asked but his sister cut him off.

"Ichi- nii, cuz you're too busy with your job as a _shinigami, you don't get to hear it._" She said that in a whisper so her brother and the people close enough to her can hear. Ichigo jerked as if the word stung him.

"You…" Ichigo said, clearly annoyed.

His sister just stared at him with an IDC look on her face. So to bright up the tension building, Matsumoto interrupted.

"What are you playing for?" she asked brightly with a smile. Karin looked at her before answering her question.

"Ah, this is for my talent show which is going to be –" she looked at the ceiling then to the side and counted days on her fingers –

"ah, a couple of weeks from now."

"and why are you all here anyway?" Karin asked, curious.

Rukia sighed and replied " Kon's too noisy so we went here, besides, that thing won't shut up unless I kick him, and I have a sore foot. That won't be hard enough."

"no, that's not what I wanted to hear, I want the reason why Shiro-chan and you guys are here." Karin clarified.

"oh…" Rukia said. "We're here because of the mysterious slayings of our fellowmen on the town nearby; speaking of that, Matsumoto, let's get going." Hitsugaya commanded.

"but… there are sales all over the place…" his stubborn vice- captain whined.

" Fine then, stay here while I patrol around town. _But_ , when we go back, you shall do the paper works for me."

"What? That's unfair!" She shook her head and said.

"Fine then." She groaned and stood up. In a flash, both of them were gone.

**Soul society**

"Take care of the wounded, Isane. I'm going off somewhere." Captain Unohana of Squad 4 said." Yes ma'am."Her Vice-captain said respectfully as she watched her captain go.

"What an unexpected visit, Captain Unohana."

Mayuri Kurotsuchi , Captain of Squad twelve turned around from the computer to greet his rival.

"Captain Kurotsuchi, thank you for letting me in your barracks without setting traps to hinder me from going in." Captain Unohana said brightly.

Captain Mayuri made a face.

"Let's get to the point." Captain Kurotsuchi suggested. She nodded in agreement.

"As you can see, I came here to give you an interesting thing. – " She said as she reached in her pocket and pulled it halfway outside her captain's jacket enough to let him see the green glow of the sat up from his seat as he can feel something with the object she halfway showed.

"Interesting…" He trailed off.

"Before I hand it over to you, -"She paused because she can feel him drooling.

"I need you to take- "She continued.

"No need to tell me that. Don't you know me? I always see to it that all my experiments and test subjects are in a safe place and –" He was cut off by her by saying ,

"Captain Kurotsuchi, I know that you are an expert in this field that's why I am giving this to you. – "

She gives the innocence to him and places it to his snow white hands.

"Promise me one thing: to not tell that to anybody except for your vice captain. We don't know who could be listening in" She warned him.

"This is an object not found in any place in soul society. What more is that I got this from a shinigami who went into the realm of living humans." She continued.

"Can you feel it too?"

She asked as she saw a sweat ooze its way down from his forehead to his cheek. He nodded.

"Well, I better get going." She said, turning around and heading for the door. The door creaked open and sunlight entered the dark room.

"Nemu!" Mayuri called for his Vice- captain. Sure enough, his diligent subordinate will come to his aid when he calls her. She enters the room and asks ,

"How may I help you, Captain?"

"We have some experimenting to do." Replying, he put on a wickedly ecstatic face.

**Black Order**

"Hahahahahaha!"

Lavi's laughter echoed down the halls as he saw Kanda wearing jeans, his exorcist boots , wearing a black coat over a black turtleneck. Kanda unsheathes his sword to slice him up. Allen tries his best not to laugh at Lavi's face.

"I thought you were a girl there-"He said nervously. "And it appears to be Yu!" Lavi grinned.

"What the heck's all these commotion about? I can't go to sleep." Someone complained.

"I don't care if you could sleep or not." Kanda replied to whoever he is.

"Ah, so you don't care if someone can't go to sleep _peacefully_?"

Claire, the new girl complained as she goes out of her room and shuts the door behind. She Is wearing a short red plaid skirt (with shorts underneath of course) and a black top with an NOT MY PROBLEM sign on her shirt, knee- high boots without heels for easy movements and black leather jacket and a huge cylindrical case at her back that hung on her shoulders. Lavi and Allen looked at each other then to Claire with shocked faces.

_She dares to talk to him like that? Cool._ Lavi thought. Kanda was about to reply when Lenalee arrived at the scene. She was wearing a black skirt (as usual) and a white polo with pink necktie and her activated boots.

"Everybody's here already." Lenalee said. "Let's go, everyone"

They left the Order to embark on a mission.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

**Black Order**

"Wow! I never expected it to be so big!"

Claire's twin sister said as she gazed at the tall white tower at the center with so many floors like a cake with layers and layers of bread filled with white frosting. On the right side of it has a small brown warehouse. She was greeted and a garden filled with bushes containing red roses that are lined with stone path and fragrant smell as she walked by, carrying her two big suitcases. She spotted Komui Lee rushing through the garden to greet the new exorcist to be.

"Welcome to the Black Order!" He greeted her cheerfully and let out a deep exhale and offered his hand.

"_Good thing I found the elevator before I decided to climb this steep cliff._" She said as she took his hand into hers. Komui laughed as he put back his offered hand into his pocket.

"Good thing you found the elevator out… many exorcists had a hard time going here because of that." He points at the cliff.

"Are you the chief here in the European branch?" she asked politely.

"Yes I am."

He turned around so that his back is facing her and started to walk. She picked up her luggage and jogged after him.

"So, Komui- san, "She started.

"Since when did European branch ended up in Japan anyway?" She asked, a smile crept at her face.

He looked at her inquisitive green eyes while keeping track of his footing and answered,

"Oh. Long story...see those? -"

He points at the workers up in the scaffoldings repairing the hole on the wall. She looks up and squints her eyes because of the sunlight the hole has let in.

"There has been a massive attack that took place inside the science department about… a month ago. The Order almost got destroyed. Luckily the whole thing was sucked in the ark, while the order's getting sucked, the exorcists and generals fought the akumas and noahs until there were none left and of course my Lenalee – chan!"

His eyes were twinkling like crazy upon mentioning "Lenalee".

"What the f?" Cassandra almost cussed.

"Arks?akumas? noahs? Sparkling eyes of the chief? What's wrong with this place?"

Cassandra muttered and hauled her luggage to keep up with the fast pace of Komui who is acting all dramatic.

"Um Komui-san, has my sister arrived?"

"Yes. but unfortunately, you just missed her. She was sent into mission with the other exorcists."

She pouted and cursed herself for being stupid with directions.

**Mission**

***Park**

"I think I'm being talked about back there." Lenalee said, glancing at the direction of the order while feeling the goosebumps that surfaced on her skin.

"So, there are six of us here." Lavi said.

"I bet its getting cold today.-" Allen said as he looked up in the sky.

"Don't you think so, Claire- kun?" Allen added.

"Ha? I guess so." Claire was zoning off and Allen broke into her little world. She blinked twice as if reconnecting herself with the present world.

"My, my, aren't our Claire- chan zoning off a little too early?" Lavi teased.

"Our? Chan?" She questioned, looking at him.

For a moment she looked scary as a tiger flashing a hint of its dangerous pointed fang. Lavi took quick little steps behind Kanda and hid there.

"Scary…" He whispered. Howard Link, Allen's watchman cleared his throat and everyone looked at him and spoke.

"To make the searching faster, we'll be splitting the group into two." Everyone looked at each other, guessing who would their team mates be.

"Of course I, as watchman of Allen Walker shall accompany him." Link said in advance, siding to Allen.

"Lenalee-san, may I request you accompany us?" Link said, facing her.

"Yes, Sir!" She replied, walking to Allen and his watchman's side. She turned her head around to see the other group composed of Lavi, Kanda and Claire. Lavi, whose face is painted with despair mumbled something like

"so cruel… Lenalee…"

"Of course the other three, obviously will be the other group." Lenalee clarified, aiming at Lavi's protest.

"We'll meet here when the sun sets." Link continued.

They all nodded and split up in two groups.

Moments later…

_Allen's group_

"Huh?" Allen said weakly as his knees trembled and sweat running from his forehead.

The two turned their heads to him and immediately ran to him.

"Are you all right, Allen-kun?" Lenalee asked.

" a bit dizzy. By the way, can you guys feel it?"

"Feel what?" Link asked.

Then they felt it too. A mighty presence is what they felt and shook lightly and sweat poured out of their pores.

"Wha—t's this?"

Lenalee stuttered as she kneeled down on the sidewalk. Link grabbed for support on the wall nearest to him and panted. A few seconds later, they have recovered from searched for her radio transmitter that is guised as earrings.

"Hello? Can you hear me?" She asked but only static is heard. She sighed.

"Well, let's go meet up the other group since these faulty radio transmitters won't work." Allen said.

"Great… we'll search for those guys manually." Allen complained.

He cried in pain when he felt something bit his stomach.

"Tim? I thought you were at my room. I guess we won't be searching them manually. Go Tim!" Allen said and let his golem fly.

_Kanda's group_

It's really silent… So silent it makes it hard to breathe with these people. I'll have to break the ice! Lavi thought desperately as he walks.

"So, Claire-kun, about a while ago…" Lavi started. She turned her head to the side and immediately cut him off.

"Sorry?-" turning her head again so that she isn't facing him when she talk.

"Well I don't like people getting all mushy and all. It makes me feel awkward when I don't even know a single thing besides your name and that you're an exorcist."

She exhaled and crouched to adjust the black tube-like case that hung from her shoulders.

"Oh, I see. " Lavi said quietly, gazing at the sky. He spotted Allen's golemn, Timcanpy.

"Tim?"

The golemn flapped its wings slower and slower as it descends towards Lavi's shoulder.

"What a cloudy day…" Claire said, staring at the wisps of clouds that get blown away by the wind.

"Shits!" She shouted out loud and almost stumbled when there came into view a short boy with white hair and has a sword slung from his back wearing black kimono and a white haori over it that had a number ten on it. He was standing on top of an electric post, his back facing them and is in danger of getting electrified.

"What's wrong Claire?" Lavi asked. Kanda looked at her when she shouted.

"Oi, kid! You'll fall from the post! Get down ! Do you want to die?" The kid moved his head slightly, hearing Claire's warning.

"Oi, oi, calm down. What are you fussing over about?"

Lavi said, looking halfway to the post where she's screaming at.

"What? You really wanna get electrified just by-" The time when the kid landed a look on them, All of them almost fell to their knees as they felt a dizzying pressure that makes them sweat a lot.

"wha—t is this sensa—tion?" Lavi said as he gasped for air in between.

"I feel like puking already…" Claire said as she covered her mouth to prevent the vile from spilling out.

"What an intense pressure to handle…" Kanda muttered, straining to look up in a blurry vision at the kid standing on the post.

"Oh so the swordsman couldn't handle this huh?" Lavi quipped.

_Can they see me?_ _Oh my. My spiritual pressure is just high that's why you're in this state. I'm truly sorry. _The kid thought.

After a little while, the group has recovered from the high spiritual pressure sensation just in time when akumas appeared.

"Where did you hide the innocence!" Kanda shouted so it will be audible enough for him to hear when he's high up, standing on the post.

He finally turned around to face them and jumped from the post where he was a second ago, landing a second later in front of them.

"You can see me?" He asked. Lavi and Claire nodded. Kanda 'tchd' when he asked it.

"If you're not answering then…" Kanda said in a creepy tone, threatening the boy with his unsheathing sword. The kid looked a bit surprised.

"Oi, it's not the time for this don't you think-" Lavi started.

"Shut up!" Kanda said, pointing his blade at his face.

"My , my, what a stubborn senpai…-" Claire walks towards Kanda.

" – anyway… you can have him and I'll have these losers .-" She said as she pointed at the emerging akumas on the tree nearby.

" – Have fun getting beaten up."

She knew that the kid that was standing on the post was way out of their league.

She said as she unlatched the belt holding the case while the other hand grabbed the inside of it, other hand pulling the case downwards so it shows a slim metal tube and a retractable black blade and a long chain wrapped at the end of it. As soon as the whole weapon was showed , an akuma fires a bullet directly at her, and at the same time, she slices the bullet into half before even reaching her.

_Amazing… She didn't even activate her Innocence yet._ Lavi thought.

"What're you staring at?-" She asks, cocking her head at his direction,grinning.

"You okay with that? I'm taking them all." She asks.

"Activate." She said and as she said it, the blade grew larger and sharper.

" A scythe?" Lavi mumbled, activating his innocence which grew into a big hammer.

"Showtime!" She shouted gleefully, jumping past another bullet fired, slicing the daring akuma who shot it.

Another dozen fired, missing her.

"Do you even know how to fire?"

She shouted, pulling the chain from the scythe, throwing her weapon at a distance, running to the left while pulling the chain at hand and after three fast seconds, her scythe has returned to her hands and at the same moment, consecutive big explosions were heard. She spins around and swings it just over the head of the shocked stricken face of the kid whom Kanda is confronting and slices it into a clean half.

"Leave it to me!" She said as she kicked an akuma on the face and sliced it, landing on the pavement on her feet.

"Woah! I managed to kill just two…" Lavi said in a daze.

"Deactivate." Claire whispered. Her blade got smaller and she stuffed her scythe into its case.

"You done here, mister?" She asked Kanda.

"What were those? and-"

The kid asked to no one in particular. Kanda opened his mouth to answer but Claire talked first.

"And what are you?"Claire and the kid said on the same time.

"You're a _shinigami_ aren't you?" Kanda guessed.

"How did you know?"

"Have you ever heard of injured men who went back to your realm lately?" Kanda questioned.

"That's why I'm here." The shinigami said. "

So you know about the stolen Innocence?" Lavi added. "Innocence? What's that?" He asked.

A hollow appeared behind the Exorcists.

"Man… they really are attracted to my huge soul pressure aren't they?" the kid complained and vanished in front of them and sliced the hollow into half.

"Tim, why are you here?" Lavi asked. In response, it kept flying around towards the east.

"Wuh?" Lavi didn't understand. The golem didn't have a choice but to let them see his memories. There he saw the other group collapsing to their knees and the radio transmitter got broken by it. "Oh. Do they want to regroup so they sent you instead?" Lavi asked it. Tim nodded .

"Could you tell them that we're here? We can't let this guy out of our sight." Lavi said. It flew away and disappeared.

**Allen's group**

"Tim, you found them?" Lenalee asked.

Tim nodded and perched on Allen's shoulder and showed again his memories.

"Wah! They found a shinigami? Tim! Lead the way!" Allen ordered.

The three of them ran after Allen's golem. Along the way, they heard a scream from a girl who was screaming

"monster! Get away from me!".

They ran in her direction. There they saw an akuma in front of her and is ready to shoot.

"Oh no!" Lenalee gasped. Her dark boots activated and kicked it in time but a bullet escaped from its body before exploding and hit the girl. The akuma exploded and the smoke cleared. There emerged an orange shield in front of her and is cracked by the bullet.

"What the-" Allen said in surprise.

"Are you okay, young lady?" Lenalee asked, not turning around, hoping that she's okay. _Oh my gosh. What is this?_ She looked at her orange triangular shield that has a huge crack at the center and an akuma bullet stuck on the middle of it. "What are you?" Link asked.

"Thank you for saving me." The orange haired girl thanked Lenalee and go up from her sitting position just as her shield crumbled and three tiny things came back to her hairpins.

"Inoue-san! Are you all right?" A man with glasses came rushing towards her.

"I'm alright Ishida-kun! This girl here saved me." She said.

"Anyway, let's get you into a safer place. This place is currently in danger." Lenalee said.

"Lenalee, let's meet them already." Allen said.

"But we can't just leave them alone you know. What if they got hit by an akuma's bullet…" Lenalee said worriedly.

"That's not happening since they'll go with us." Allen suggested.

"That's a great idea. So we can protect them along the way." Lenalee said.

"Um… I know that it is weird but can you please come with us?" Lenalee asked shyly.

"Sure-" Inoue said.

"Ishida-kun?" She asked, turning around to see him fire an arrow and hear an explosion.

"See. It's dangerous out here." Allen said.

"What are you guys exactly? I'm getting dizzy all of the sudden." Lenalee said, pressing her forehead.

"Fine then, we'll go with you. I don't know anything what's happening around here anyway." Ishida said, propping up his glasses.

Inoue and Ishida followed their group and has successfully met up with the other group of Exorcists.

"Captain Hitsugaya? What are you doing in a place like this?" Ishida asked. All six of them were like

'What? What's happening? I don't understand.'

"Captain?" Lavi questioned.

"HItsugaya?" Allen added.

"Shinigami?" Kanda said.

"Shooting arrows?" Link said.

"Shield?" Lenalee said.

"Wait. What the heck is going on? Can't take this anymore!" Claire shouted, crouching and putting her hands on her head as if it were to explode.

"Oi, Inoue. Are you all right?" an tall orange haired guy with a large sword on his back, wearing a black kimono asked.

"Kurosaki! You're late!" Ishida complained.

"Ichigo! You left your body again! You stupid carrot-top!" A petite black haired woman said, wearing a black kimono too and has a sword slung on her waist.

"Great. There are too many shinigamis around… I must be having a bad dream." Claire said softly, getting up from her crouched position.

"Nice to meet you shinigami-san." Claire said.

"What's with this girl? She can see us?" Ichigo asked. Claire walked over Captain Hitsugaya and poked his head.

"So don't wanna answer that question when its already obvious." Claire replied.

"Hey! What're you doing?" HItsugaya complained.

"So about the missing … um…" Hitsugaya started.

"Innocence." Allen supplied.

"Guess we're gonna have a long talk about it." Ichigo said.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

**Ichigo's Room**

"Now how did we end up in this mess?" Lavi muttered, slapping his forehead.

"Just what are you guys?" Claire asked for the second time, sitting cross- legged on the wooden floor.

"We're called shinigami." Rukia replied.

"Rukia, don't. DON"T do _it. _If you guys ever saw it..." Ichigo warned, shooting Rukia a look. _I don't want to ever see your horrible drawing skills if it means you'll beat me when i laugh at it._

"Then what was that weird sickening feeling a while ago?" Allen asked politely.

"Ah. Let me explain." Ishida said, propping his eyeglasses. Ishida, catching the look Rukia gave him made him shiver.

_nice job Kurosaki!_ He cleared his throat and started.

"Soul reapers or should I say shinigamis have spiritual pressure. The sensation that you felt a while ago was Captain Hitsugaya's spiritual pressure. Due to his high spiritual pressure, you feel weak, dizzy and so on."

"I gotta be recording this." Lavi said.

"Why?" Ichigo asked.

"Ah, because I'm a bookman. A bookman is a person who records history that isn't written…uh…" Lavi explained.

"Cool." Ichigo said, "so there's still people who do that..."

"Then what is the thing you were asking me to give you? The thing called…" Hisugaya said, remembering what they were asking for when all of the exorcists including Link replied in chorus.

"Innocence."

"Innocence that is." Hitsugaya said, repeating the word so that he can remember it.

"So what about that Innocence? Why is it important?" Ichigo asked.

"Maybe the one that the soul reapers that day stole was the Heart. That's why we're going after it. " Lenalee said.

"What's a heart?" Matsumoto asked, popping from Ichigo's window and is in her shinigami form, revealing generous cleavage.

"You mean this heart?" Claire muttered to herself, eyeing Lavi who had hearts for eyes.

"Strike!" Lavi said. Allen automatically nagged him for it and Claire helped him restrain his ridiculous desire to introduce himself to the lady with bountiful breasts over there.

"Ah, Matsumoto- san " Ichigo said.

"Matsumoto, you're late… " Hitsugaya complained.

"What's all this?" She asked, looking at the new faces that filled Ichigo's room.

"Taichou! there were sales all over! so it'd be a waste if I didn't shop you know" She said as she hopped in from the window.

The exorcists were a bit startled because of her high spitritual pressure but now they can withstand it.

"Oi, Captain, can they see us?" Matsumoto whispered to her superior.

_Why are two big breasted women in the same room? It makes this room even smaller._ _If my sister were here..._ Claire thought.

If Matsumoto Rangiku and Orihime Inoue's busts are to mountains then the twins' busts are to mounds (or a tarmac from a guy's exaggerated point of view)

"Flat is justice!" She blurted out, immediately her cheeks flared. Fortunately, everyone was still focused in Matsumoto's entrance and her captain's nagging about the seemingly endless paperwork she was supposed to help him finish.

"Hi there, miss beautiful!" Lavi greeted, addressing it to Matsumoto. Claire, Allen and Kanda grimaced and gave a disgusted look. Lenalee rolled her eyes.

_I guess you can't keep a man restrained because of LOVE. _Lenalee thought, sighing.

"Ha? Me?" Matsumoto asked, pointing her forefinger at herself.

Lavi nodded like a dog.

"Ara, you can see me…" She said, walking towards a chair.

"Ah, Captain, before I forget… I just got back from Soul Society and they are proclaiming a new captain. "She said as she blew her bangs away from her eyes.

The Soul Reapers and their human friends were surprised.

"Ah, that's good to hear that a new captain will take place." Orihime said.

"So what squad would that captain will be taking over?" Ichigo asked.

"Ah… I think it's squad 9." Matsumoto said.

"Can we continue with where we left off?" Ishida suggested.

"Ah, yes, yes." Link said, leaning on the wall.

"Well, first off… We are Exorcists. And we battle machines called _akumas_. An _Akuma _attacked the young lady over there."

"You were lucky that you didn't get shot … or else… you would be a mere dust now." Allen said.

"Eh, what was that weird orange shield just a while ago?" Lenalee asked.

"Ah… that… it's my power. My powers awaken due to Kurosaki-kun's high spiritual pressure like Sado-kun's powers… That's what Urahara-san said." Orihime said.

"Ah, I don't know where Sado-kun went… maybe he's doing some… Homework!-" her eyes widened.

She got up from her sitting position and said

"Ah, nice meeting you all. I need to go home and do my homework. Hey, Kurosaki- kun you better do yours!" They waved their hands goodbye to her before she headed for the door and left.

"Captain, would you like to go to Soul Society to go to the Captain's meeting and leave the rest (paperworks) to me?" Matsumoto asked. Her captain stared at her with surprise.

"Thank you Matsumoto. What have you eaten? That isn't like you." Hitsugaya said.

"Nothing. I just shopped to my heart's content! Let's hurry before I change my mind."

"Um, Rukia-san, what's Soul Society?" Lenalee asked.

"Captain, the proclamation would start now…" Matsumoto whispered to her captain. He nodded and excused himself.

"Wait!" Link said. Hitsugaya turned around.

"Please don't let this information spread around… Maybe there's someone..." the inspector continued.

"I am already well aware of that." He said and turned around and vanished through Ichigo's open window.

Link's face was a question that needed to be answered.

"So that people won't be popping questions here and there, I , Rukia shall explain it to you."

Upon saying so, Rukia took out her illustration pad and flipped through its pages while explaining. Ichigo laughed and criticized her awful bunny drawings, earning him a punch in the gut. After she finished, the Exorcists were nodding. Nodding to Ichigo's warning a while ago they didn't heed. Claire was enamored by Rukia's bunny drawings which made Rukia strangely smug about her skills.

"See,Ichigo. They totally understood my explanation." ,Follwed by a not-so-quite-evil laugh from her.

"Yes, Kurosaki-kun." a familiar voice agreed.

"Indeed. wait!-" She spun around to see Urahara sitting casually on the bed as if he's been there the whole time.

"-Urahara-san?!"

"Domo! I see you have guests Kurosaki-kun."

"Tell me about _your side_ of the story, exorcists." Urahara said.

_Who's that guy? I never noticed his presence until he spoke. I never even saw him come in!_ The exorcists all shared the same thought.

"Where do we start?" Lenalee asked to no one in particular. Lavi volunteered for the task since he _is the bookman_ who possess such sharp memory.

"You're like the old dude that tells stories to eager kids at a campfire or something." Kanda commented.

"Well, if it were you who's going to tell the story, it'll never get done. Mistakes here and there." To top it off, he stuck his tongue out like a conceited kid.

"why you!"Kanda grabbed for his sword, Lenalee tried to calm him down.

_Why am I with such rowdy people? not that I don't like it... It just made me miss my sister more._ Claire thought, smiling

He told about the Innocence , the anti-akuma weapon that has the ability to purify the akumas, saving the souls bound in those wretched machines in a school teacher voice.

"So basically, it's like what shinigamis do." Ishida said.

"Where do these akumas come from anyway?" Rukia asked.

Smiling, Lenalee said, "Wait. we're getting down to it."

"Sorry."

Nodding, Lavi continued.

"Through grief, they're created by Millenium Earl. For example, this guy-" Lavi pointed at Ishida. "-died and you, for example wished that uh Ishida be resurrected."

"I wouldn't wish for something like that! heck I'd love to never see his face again!" Ichigo countered.

"A stout man shall appear in front of you and ask you this: "Do you want to see him/her again? if yes, call out his/her name and he'll live again.-" glancing around the room with his left eye, he saw the room had gone pretty still.

"-something like that. When you do, the soul of your loved one will be called out. You'd be able to talk to it for a brief moment until through a metal skeleton with a star branded on its forehead until it wears your skin."

The room temperature dropped in his last sentence.

"Yikes! what if the people we see today are actually akumas?!" Rukia exclaimed.

"But! rest assured! we Exorcists battle _that_ daily! We live for that reason anyway!" Lavi added, trying to lighten the mood.

"Well, the Akuma Egg proves to be up and working again." Link added.

Before anyone from the other party could ask, Allen said,

"the Akuma Egg is what the Earl uses to manufacture akumas. We once destroyed it..."

A grim thought occurred to Ichigo. His mother died when he was nine. He wondered if his dad ever wished for her mom to be resurrected. If his dad ever encountered the Earl. If his dad's skin had been worn by an akuma all along.

Ishida, Rukia and Urahara glanced at Ichigo as if they read his mind. He shook his head and told himself that if his dad were an akuma, he'd notice it.

"So that's why there were inconsistencies in the soul count..." Urahara mumbled.

they looked all bewildered.

"Let me explain" Urahara said, borrowing Rukia's sketchbook.

"When a person passes away, the soul goes to the Soul Society. If he fails to do so, he seeks out the help of a Shinigami, thus they could peacefully go there. But when he becomes a hollow, losing their 'heart' in the process, as Rukia explained, need to be cut down. Being cut down, they're able to go to Soul Society.

"If that's the case then...The spirit of the deceased doesn't go to Soul Society immediately, therefore; creating imbalance." Rukia conccluded.

"If somewhere along the line, the process gets interrupted, the balance in all three worlds would be..."

He didn't dare continue, considering Ishida is a Quincy, humans who too, kills Hollows but they don't send them into the afterlife, there might be a fight.

"Which is bad," Lenalee added.

"Who knows that doing such thing affects more than just the Human World?" Allen said.

"Sorry for bringing up now that it's late," Urahara started.

"I think there were sightings of akumas in Karakura town and the neighboring towns too. giant balls of machine floating around but they were always taken care of by your diligent exorcist mates."

Now it's the exorcists' turn to be shocked.

"That incident. It wasn't the first time." Urahara admitted.

**Soul Society**

_Squad 1 Barracks_

The thirteen captains of each squad lined up into two and are already in their respective places. There were three empty slots on the line of the Captains which were Squads 3, 5 and 9. The head captain who is sitting before them is clutching a wooden staff on his old wrinkly hand. He then cleared his throat and was ready to make an announcement.

"It has been a couple of weeks since Aizen Sosuke , Ichimaru Gin and Kaname Tosen betrayed Soul Society."

The faces of the present Captains became suddenly tensed upon hearing these traitors' names. Some were still injured due to the chaos these three traitors made.

"As of now, the 3rd, 5th and 9th squads are without captains. ".

" After watching the Captain's Qualification Examination, we found a talented captain suited for the job. She then will be taking over formerly Squad 9's Kaname Tosen's place."

"Huh? A girl?" The captain of squad eight, Kyoryaku Shunsui said in surpise.

"You may now enter, Kumiyama Sakanade." The head captain said in a clear, stern voice.

The moment he has said it, the big wooden doors slowly swung open. There appeared a medium –heighted red haired girl tied into a half pony tail with dark green eyes wearing the standard captain haori , a black scarf tied around her neck and a pure black zanpakuto highlited with golden waves that resembles flames with a long red ribbon tied to its hilt and is slung on her slim waist. She was glancing to the left and right as she entered the room while chewing the insides of her cheek. She can feel all eyes are laid on her whole being albeit; she walked confidently towards the head captain. She bowed humbly to him.

"You may now go to your respective place as the captain of squad nine- Beside Captain Hitsugaya Toshiro."

The head captain said. Upon hearing his name, Hitsugaya looked up and saw the newly proclaimed captain is taller than him by an inch as she passed by. Once she has settled on her place, the Captain of squad 4, Unohana Retsu spoke.

"The incident involving the injured men on the world of the living wherein a search party for the mysterious disappearance of 5th seat Kinoshi Yamada of our squad had many casualties. He went to the world of the living that day to heal injured men during the last hollow attacks."

"Squad 10's Capatin Hitsugaya Toshiro went to the world of the living recently."

Head Capatain Yamamoto Genryusai said. "Have you found something that you may part with us?" The head capatain asked.

"Yes, sir!" He replied immediately.

"During my patrol on Karakura Town, I have encountered strange type of hollows (akuma) that attacked the substitute shinigami's friend. Then there I met people who are knowledgeable about those strange type of hollows. More importantly, they know how to defeat them."

After he reported it, the captains on the room's faces have switched from tensed to startled.

"Maybe it's Aizen's doing."Unohana said.

"Has Aizen made their move already?" Captain Komamura Saijin, captain of Squad 7 wondered.

"No. Not yet. It is yet too early to make a move. The Hougyoku hasn't awakened yet." Kurotsuchi Mayuri, Captain of Squad 12 and is also the President ofthe Shinigami Research and Development Institute.

"Even if the Hougyoku hasn't awakened yet… there are still dangers we must face and overcome. Don't let your guard down." The elderly head captain adviced.

"You may now be dismissed." He ordered.

And as soon as he said it, almost everyone vanished from the room and some preferred to walk leisurely. The newly proclaimed captain walked out of the room with a sigh.

"I thought I was gonna melt…" She said softly.

"Huh? Where am I gonna turn?" She asked herself or to somebody as she saw the hallway splits into three.

"Turn left and right then straight ahead and you'll get outside." Captain of Squad 13, Ukitake Jushiro said.

She jerked and put her hands on her chest.

"That scared me…-" panting and leaning on the wall.

"Tha… thank you." She said when she got her composure back.

"Ah. I'm sorry for startling you." He apologized._ another kid huh? It's nice to be young_ , he thought.

"No… that's okay." She said, turning around to face him.

"Ah, Capatain- san, I recognize you… You were in the exams…"

"Wow, you remembered. I'm Captain Ukitake Jushiro of Squad to be working with you." She bowed and turned right.

"Oh. Which way is it again?" She asked.

He laughed and told her that he will be accompanying her since they will be heading for the same place.

"I really like kids." He said while walking.

"Eh?"

"You and the Captain of Squad 10 are still kids but your shoulders are already filled with responsibilities and your lives are on the line, but either way… Stay cute and don't get cranky just like him."

She blushed a little upon hearing someone call her cute.

"What was that?"

"Eek!" This one gave her another shock.

"Speak of the devil." They turned around and saw who it is.

"Ja-ne!" Captain Ukitake said and patted her on her red head and quickly disappeared.

_What should I do? What if he asks me what we were talking about a while ago? I'm dead._

"Ah, I must get going… bye!" She said in a rush, taking a step forward and vanished before he could say something.

She went straight to Squad 9's barracks. There she saw the people who will be her subordinates are making a fuss over the welcoming party.

"What Captain Do you think will be taking over?" A fellow shinigami asked his friend.

His friend just shrugged and walked with a tray of food saying "Why don't you hurry up and put that there. Maybe the Captain will be here any moment."

The Vice- Captain is standing at the gate of the barracks, anxious what kind of superior will he be with. Then he felt a strong unfamiliar spiritual pressure coming his way. That made him straighten up his slouched back and squint his eyes to see his superior. Then he saw a red blur heading straight at him. The second he looked down, he saw his long awaited Captain.

"Yo!" A red head with green eyes greeted him, looking up and waving her hand.

_A kid?_ He thought.

"You must be the Vice- captain since you're wearing that."

She said pointing at the bandana wrapped around his left arm that has a number 9 on it.

_Yup. She must be it. She's wearing the Captain's Haori._ He backed up a little to let some space between him and her.

"Ah, I'm Vice- captain Hisagi Shuuhei. Nice to be working with you."

"Same here. Kumiyama Sakanade here." He was surprised that she didn't impose the 'captain' title.

He cleared his throat and announced

"The Long awaited Captain has arrived!" The moment he said it, the people stopped immediately from what they were doing.

"Where is that captain?" Someone asked.

"Ah, right here." The vice captain replied.

He moved aside since he was taller than her and is covering her stature. Their eyes went wide in surprise. Another kid. She waved her hand at them cheerfully. She strode to the center of the field so that the crowd could take a good look at her. There were oohs and aahs among the men.

"She must be a genius like that captain form squad ten…" A random shinigami whispered to his buddy.

"Tch. What can a kid do anyway?"

"Quiet! Maybe she can hear you, you idiot!" As expected.

_There will be people who would think lowly of me. There would be people who would look up at me and of course there would be the one who doesn't care._ The Captain thought while she stood still on the middle of the field filled with people with anxious eyes.

"Ahem… I, Kumiyama Sakanade, starting today shall be your Captain." She announced in a clear voice.

The dumb stricken crowd applauded a second later. The vice captain approached his superior and told her that her welcoming party will commence in an hour because the food hasn't been cooked yet. So in the mean time, he shall tour her around the barracks even though it's not that big.

"Oh… so there's a place like this in here…" Captain Kumiyama said.

"But it's so dirty." She complained and sneezed.

"Captain Kumiyama, let's head back. It's almost time for your own party." Vice- captain Hisagi said.

She nodded and said

"Hey… can you call me uhm… Captain Kumi or Kumi-chan or whatever you like. My name's really long so.. It feels really weird. And in return… I'll call you uh… Hisagi nii- chan. you're old."

"Eh? Se- Seriously?" He reacted nervously.

"Then… Captain Ku-ku-kumi…" He stuttered and blushed.

"Wah! That's more like it!" She said, clapping her hands like a toddler.

"Let's go. I bet everyone's waiting for you." He said.

She nodded and walked with him around the barracks


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

**Karakura Town**

"Ichi-nii!" Yuzu called for her brother as she knocked at the door repeatedly.

"Wake up! Breakfast is ready! Hurry up or Dad will finish everything!" She warned and went downstairs. His brother groggily replies

"I'll be there in a minute…" They were eating when Ichigo arrived at the dining table. He sat down and took a bite at the omelet. Then his Dad's fist flew to his son's face but he easily evaded it and even managed to comment

"So predictable…" Everyone were surprised by his dad's actions. His dad made a surprised face and got all mushy by saying "My Son is growing up soo fast… And my three daughters are too." Everyone just ignored him.

"Anyway… I'll get going now…" Ichigo said, standing up and walked out of the door.

"Good bye Nii-san!" Yuzu said, waving her hands at her brother and her brother waved back. Rukia followed Ichigo and waved good bye at them. On the way to school, they met their buddies Ishida, Sado and Inoue who greeted both of them good mornings first.

"Good morning guys." Rukia and Ichigo greeted them back. "It's almost time for school you know." Ishida said, propping his glasses.

"Heh?" Inoue complained. Then they heard the bell from afar.

"Crap." Rukia complained.

"Ichigo…" She called. He then turned around to face her but his soul was pushed out of his own body, thus making his real body to collapse on the ground, leaving his shinigami form outside his body.

"What did you do that for?" He complained.

"What an idiot… use shunpo to go to school dumbass!" She shouted.

"Ooh! Rukia-san is so smart!" Orihime clapped like an idiot. Rukia blushed a little then boasted.

"O-Of course! A kuchiki should be smart and …" She babbled on and on.

"Ishida, use your what do you call it surfboard you have to go to school." Ichigo whispered to Ishida's ear. "Then let us leave that talkative close- eyed rabbit here babbling." Ichigo suggested.

"Inoue-san… can you please come over here? Ishida asked. She nodded and walked towards him.

"Hold on tight." Then they vanished from the street and into the school's window near their classroom.

Ichigo sneakily carried his body and used flash step and vanished too. Rukia was still babbling and asked.

"Right, Inoue-san?" There was no reply, no Inoue and the others. Only wind blew to her and she was left alone on the street. (Never babble with your eyes closed or your attention diverted. Poor Rukia.) Her face flushed in anger, used the same method as them to go to school.

When she entered the classroom, the people stared at her and some greeted her good morning in whispers. She nodded and smiled. _Good thing the teacher's absent._ She walked and sat on her chair next to Ichigo, annoyed for playing a prank on her. Then on the corner of her eye, she saw a white-haired guy sitting adjacent from her. _Captain Hitsugaya? What's he doing here? _She thought and saw a red haired girl sitting in front of Ishida.

"A transfer student?" She murmured questioningly. _There are always new students here anyway._

The bell rang, signaling for the nest period to come. She was surprised.

"Was I _that_ late?" She emphasized the word 'that'. Then she glared at Ichigo who was smiling mockingly at her. The door slides open and her attention was on the incoming old Historyt eacher.

"Attendance check." She said in a slow, boring tone.

"Mizuiro Kujima-san" "Hai!"

"Keigo Asano" "Hai!"

"Mahana Natsui…" "Absent. She had a fever last night so…" A classmate answered.

"Oh I see… then. Tatsuki Arisawa…" Said the teacher. Their old teacher called several names already but one name she didn't call was the red head's.

"Ah. So there's a transfer student… So, I'll introduce you to her. " Her shaky voice loud and clear spoke the name of "Kumiyama Sakanade." Then the red haired girl stood up from her chair and walked towards the platform where she stood on. Rukia noticed Captain Hitsugaya's change in reaction when her name was called._ Hm… Does he know her?_ She thought. All of them stared at the new student. She is wearing the standard uniform of the school but wears a black cardigan over it and a star necklace shown. She's wearing black knee hidgh socks and the standard white school shoes. She has a red hair tied with a black ribbon and has thick lashes that framed her dark green eyes. They never saw such a race around here like that.

"H-hello." She greeted and put up a forced cute smile. The teacher mentioned that she is from Russia and wanted to experience Japanese culture. The students were like star stricken. Keigo asked if she can speak Russian and replied.

"привет, Я действительно ста-летний ребенок" She said. Then the class applauded. Keigo asked what that meant. She lied and said

" meant I am glad to be here." She put on a smile. The sentence really meant "Hello, I am really a hundred year old kid."

"You may sit now." The teacher said. She nodded and took her seat. Then she started the class. She discussed about the war. Then a few minutes later, the bell rang. Time for Math period. Kumi was already sound asleep when the History class ended. The teacher didn't notice that she was sleeping until discussion.

"How dare she sleep in class! She's only a transfer student." A guy complained to his seatmate.

"Let her be. Because she'll be a laughing stock of the class cuz our teacher is her."

Their teacher is very strict and is always fond of embarrassing people and loves to throw chalks at people. She is discussing Cramer's rule today. The teacher threw a piece of chalk on her sleeping head and she woke up. The first thing she saw was the teacher's ugly annoyed face.

"Why are you sleeping in my class?"

"Um… I fell asleep during the history class and no one woke me up so…" She reasoned.

"That doesn't make your situation any better young lady! It means that you slept for almost two periods. I'll tell Ms. Kudora sense that you slept in her class." The teacher barked at her. Some of her classmates mainly guys laughed while some pity her.

"No no. please don't! I'll do anything then." She pleaded.

"Then answer this! Then I wouldn't tell on you." She demanded. Kumi's eyes widened. She yawned a bit and walked towards the blackboard with confidence. She got the chalk from the teacher and stated answering the three- by two that she prepared for her. She's writing and drawing lines and then later on she has written the correct answer. The teacher jaw-dropped at how fast she solved it. 11seconds.

"So you won't tell on me then?" She said and smiled a teasing smile. The teacher is in rage.

"Heh. I never said that I promised." She said.

"Ah, too bad… A person who takes bad his or her word is a loser. You said that in front of the class. Are you gonna take it back?" She teased. The teacher stormed off of the room and banged the door close. The bell rang and it's already lunch break.

"Captain, what are you doing here?" Rukia asked.

"Mission." He replied, craning is neck to find someone in the crowd of tall people going out of the classroom. He spotted his fellow captain who is going out of the room. He didn't answer Rukia's question and immediately ran outside.

"What's wrong with him?" Ichigo asked Rukia.

"Are you asking me, carrot top? Don't think that I have forgiven you yet. If you are asking me then I don't know." She said in an angry fast tone then stomped out. She went to the roof top and complained about Juice pack she can't open because of the curved end of the straw that should be sharp. Then she heard a yelp. Then she saw three men bullying someone who is small. They are a small girl but she can't see who.

"You stand out too much. Don't you think?" A pierced guy asked sarcastically.

"Do you have money? 5,000 yen will do." The bald guy said while getting closer.

"Eh? Do you think that I am that rich?" Kumi joked, sweat beading from her face, stepping backwards until she hit the wall slightly.

"This bitch!" The other guy with streaks of blonde highlights on his head said in rage and hit her on the face. She screamed in pain. The bald man pulled her hair and lifted her up. Rukia was shocked to see that it was the new transfer student. She can't take it anymore. She threw the juice pack she can't drink at the head of the bald one and it caused him to release her, dropping her to the concrete and landed on her butt. Rukia saw that her cheek is swollen where the guy had hit her. Rukia ducked when the three bullies looked up who threw the juice pack. _I can't handle all three of them without putting the kid in danger…_ Rukia thought. Then Hitsugaya arrived at the scene.

"Kumi! There you are!" He said in relief, itching to ask questions and noticed that she's sitting on the concrete floor with drops of blood and is wiping her mouth. He quickly ran to her side gently touched her shoulder. She then slowly turned her head around.

"T-chan, what're you doing here?" She whispered hoarsely.

"Never thought that something like this would happen. Can't harm humans right?" She said and her lower lip twitched uneasily, not wanting to cry nor to show any emotion.

"Baka. You should protect yourself if something happens right?"

"Yeah... stupid body… It's hard to move right with this gigai." She said, getting on her feet and said "It's time to pay back the deeds." She said and smiled. She then ran towards the guy with piercings and slid under him , kicking his feet and toppling down then stepped on him and jumped when the blonde streaked hair tried to trip her with his foot but she kicked him in midair with her right foot. (She's definitely wearing shorts) Just in time when the bald guy stepped closer, she heeled the guy's chest and knocked him down.

"Strike!"She said gleefully. She smiled and winced in pain due to the punch a while ago.

"You… How dare you call me T-chan… I will not forgive definitely…" Toshiro said, surrounded by a monstrous aura.

"Ahahahaha"- She laughed nervously- "P-pwease don't injure the awedy injured" She winced again.(She can't speak that clear because of her swollen right cheek.) He approached and looked like he was going to he hit her because he's making his knuckles sound. She just shut her eyes and hoped nothing painful. But it really is something painful because he just pinched her on both cheeks. She screamed for help- a lame one.

"Ah-ah-ah-ah! Rukia –nee chan! Dasukete Kure!" She pleaded as she slaps aimlessly at Hitsugaya to release her. Rukia was surprised that she knew her name. Rukia's head popped out of the higher rooftop. Kumi reached out and successfully pinched Hitsugaya's face.

"Aha!" She said. "Release me you idiot!" Hitsugaya demanded.

"Release me!" She demanded.

He released her and her other cheek is swollen too. She released her hold on him when he started laughing. When Rukia got down from the rooftop, she saw Kumi's swollen cheeks. Left and right. That made Rukia's eyes sparkle.

"Wah, so cute!" She said, reaching out to her face and wanna pinch her. She backed off immediately. "What what are you guys doing? It's freaky. Stop it." She said.

"T-Toshiro! H-help! Weird woman approaching!" She backed a little. HItsugaya just laughed at her even more.

"Then… I'll take matters into my own hands." She said, balling her fists and jumping up and down like a boxer. But it worsened her condition.

Rukia's perception:

A cute little rabbit wants to play boxing.

Kumi stopped the tough act and braced for the real danger.

Rukia's perception:

Hopless little rabbit wants to be hugged.

"AH, crap…" Kumi said. She was hugged tightly.

"lemme go! Agh! I hate to do this but I have no choice."She stepped on Rukia's foot causing to release her hold on her.

"Ow!" Rukia exclaimed, grabbing her foot.

"Captain, do you know her?" Rukia asked. Hitsugaya nodded and replied.

"She's the newly appointed captain of squad nine."

Rukia's eyes widened and quickly apologized for her rudeness.

"But, why are you here?" Hitsugaya asked.

"Jii-chan (The Head Captain) asked me to. But I don't get it. If it's you right here then it would be more than enough. Anyway, Part of me wanted to play here." She said.

"Oh, Toshiro, there you are." Ichigo said. "Who is that?" He added, pertaining to Kumi.

"Why you…" Hitsugaya said. "How many times do I need to tell you that it's Captain HItsugaya!"

"Ah, She's the new captain Matsumoto-san's talking about." Rukia said.

Then the bell rang, signaling that the lunch break's over.

_After class…_

"Hey, Kurosaki –kun, see you tomorrow!" Inoue said.

"Where do you guys will live?" Ichigo asked Kumi curiously.

"I don't have a place to stay yet ." Kumi said.

"But we know a place." Ishida said.

**Urahara's store**

"I think that you are always housing lost homeless shinigamis, Mr. Urahara."Kumi said, looking around the place while sitting on the tatami floor.

"This is Tsubaki. He is my assistant and is a great chef. These two are my uh… anyway this is Jinta-kun"- he said as he points at the pointy red haired kid. - "And this is Ururu"- Pointing at a shy girl in pigtails with really long bangs splitting on the bridge of the nose.

"By chef… do you mean that he did the meal I ate just a while ago?"KUmi asked. Urahara nodded.

"My, my. Your cheeks are swollen." Urahara commented, fanning himself. She covered her cheeks.

"It's all thanks to that guy!" She complained.

"Will you stop complaining and get the assignments done?" 'T- chan' complained while sitting across her.

"Bleh"- she said as she stuck her tongue out –"Already done it." She said. "And T-chan's answer on number thirteen should be simpwified."

"How dare you…" He said, slamming the coffee table. The people around them have their mouths open.

"Didn't I tell you that to not call me T-chan" – Urahara laughed upon hearing t- chan – "then what?" He said in a low angry voice.

"Ah… don't get mad…" She said. "I'll give you sweet jelly beans."

His expression changed when he heard his favorite food but changed again to the annoyed expression.

"How did you know?"

"Secret. Okay good night. I'm sleeping." Kumi said.

Author's note:

First of all, thank you very much for adding this story that I made to your Favorites. I appreciate that very much! Thank you for those people who posted comments and reviews to the stories. It did help me a lot.

A cool way to go to school is to use _shunpo_. I wish I had that kind of thing as a student or as a person.

I'm so sorry that I haven't updated cuz I'm in school most of the time or if I am not, I'm doing my assignments and doing stuff.

I don't know when I am able to update the story again. So I'll try my best to find time.

Thanks again!


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

**Black Order**

The tired exorcists, Kanda, Lenalee, Lavi, Claire, Allen and his watchman, Link got back from their search for the stolen innocence. Most of them headed for their rooms to recuperate from the tiresome day. Link went to his superior to report the details of their previous mission. Meanwhile, the other exorcists Miranda, Marie and Chaoji have returned from their mission and went straight to their rooms.

Lenalee was walking to her room when she saw a dark haired girl her pacing around and like she's lost. Naturally,being the kind,considerate and helpful girl she was, she approached her and asked,

"Claire? are you lost?"

The girl spun around and her big green eyes twinkled like stars.

"Oh gosh! I haven't seen a homo erectus in ages!"

Her reply made Lenalee make a quizzical face.

"Sorry?"

"Actually… I'm lost." She admitted, averting Lenalee's eyes.

"Well I do know that your room is right around the corner." She said, pointing her randomly at some door.

"Really?" She exclaimed, approaching her.

"But I'm not sure if it's that door over there"- she said, pointing at the door directly across from her. "Or that door over there. I kinda know cuz I saw you come out of there one time…" She said and yawned.

"Oh excuse me… I was just sleepy and tired from our mission earlier." She said, covering her mouth.

"Hey by the way… When did your hair get shorter?" She asked. Shaking her head, Lenalee said,

"I must be that tired. Bye."

"Yup. maybe you're that tired. Get some rest!"

"Yeah. Maybe you're right." Lenalee said. And added, "Well before that…" She paused.

"I'll be right back real quick cuz I'm just gonna leave this briefcase in my room and get back to you."

She said as she opened a door that leads to her room and disappeared into its welcoming embrace.

_She said that my room would be around here somewhere in this floor…_Cassandra thought.

"Who's the one responsible for this ridiculous labyrinth of a head quarters anyway?"

Then she thought of a crazy idea that will make things easier and maybe she won't need Lenalee's or anyone's help anymore. Opening random doors and if the room is familiar, that would definitely be her room.

So she decided to open a random room near where she thinks her original room was before she got lost and when she recognizes her own room, she'll make a marker that it's her own room so that the next time she goes out of it, she'll definitely come back to it. She walked towards a door out of a whim and opens the door slowly.

All she saw was a dust coated room. She frowned and closed it gently.

"Who the heck would even live there? Must be a slob."

She hurriedly went to open the next door and saw a red haired guy in a dark room; his back to hers was in the middle of changing his clothes, turned his head around to see who opened the door. Her eyes widened with shock and shame as she hastily closed the door while she shouted

"Sorry!"

She ran like someone's chasing her. – Guilt and face turned as red as the guy's hair whom she saw earlier and cussed over and over again while banging her head on the order's newly repaired metal railings with her eyes squeezed shut. Muttering,

"Why didn't that asshole lock the door…"

Just in time when she pulled her face away from the railing, Lenalee came out of her room looking more refreshed than she was a while ago.

"Let's go!" Lenalee said brightly as the sun.

Cassandra managed to nod, knowing that her forehead is already bruised or bleeding. She jogged beside Lenalee who is striding fast, eager to rest once this is all over. Cassandra was relieved that the red haired guy didn't catch up with them until they left the corridor.

"What happened with your forehead?"

"Must've bumped it on that railing."

Door banging against the wall, Lavi came rushing out of his room once he was done changing his clothes.

"Well that was embarrassing…" He mumbled.

He heard the sound of footsteps which made him turn around to see who it was. It was the girl who he thought that had accidentally opened his door and saw him doing his business, Claire. He instantly ran to her and asked her

"Was it you? I swear that I just saw you open the door-" He was talking in a fast string of words tied into sentences.

Claire blinked in surprise and asked "What. Are You Talking about?"

"If you wanted to see it, You should've said so!"

"See what?!"

"This chiseled body." He flexed his biceps for emphasis.

"Ew." She made a disgusted face and added,

"Wait, wait. How the hell am I gonna peek into your room when I don't even know where your room is? Why am I going to peek when I have better stuff to do than to peek into your room? And I have only been here seconds ago before you came and blocked my way to my room." She said as fast as her mouth would allow her.

"But I saw you with my own two eyes." He reasoned but started to correct his mistake since he had two eyes and ones under an eye patch for some reason when Claire spoke with a sarcastic tone.

"Eyes? You mean with your own eye. Since the other ones under an eye patch and meaning that what you saw is just a figment of your imagination. Now I have better things to do than to spend my time with you."

Lavi was lost and alone with his words and his chiseled body. He opened his mouth to reason with words but none came out.

Claire walked past her and entered her own room while muttering something about Lavi being blind.

Komui's Office

He was reading and stamping mounds of papers when the sound of a knock on the door in his untidy office made him look up from the paper he's reading. His office is unusually quiet since his assistants are dining in the cafeteria.

"Nii-san."Lenalee said.

"Ah, Lenalee-chan! You may enter" He said, eyes sparkling.

"You know, it's been a while since you've visited your beloved brother!"

"Not really."

"Ouch! Now give your beloved brother a HUG~!"

"No thanks."

She opened the door that led to the messy room of his brother and walked cautiously as if instead of papers, mines were planted underneath her feet. One false move, and she'd be buried, and instead of soil, it'll be paper. Cassandra tailed her and entered the room, beholding the mess the room contained. She just gritted her teeth because she was a neat freak and the current state she is witnessing is a complete chaos.

"Behold, the greatest sin man has ever committed." Cassandra told the dust motes floating around her nose.

"Nii san, She doesn't know where her room went to… So can you help her find it?" Lenalee asked.

"Well of course, Claire. I'll-" Komui said.

"I'm not Claire." Cassandra said abruptly, cutting him off.

Lenalee andKomui made confused faces at her.

"Claire, what are you talking about?" Lenalee asked.

Komui stared at her for a moment and seemed to notice the difference in her eye color. Hers was green while Claire had red ones.

"Oh! Sorry, Sorry! I didn't notice,it's just that you two are just so identical…"

Confusion still remained on Lenalee's face. Cassandra nodded and said

"It's ok."

"But THIS-" she waved her hands around the room for emphasis. "Is not OKAY!"

Komui just shrugged and pouted.

"Mails keep piling up and up." Mails that reached the ceiling.

"It's not a reason for you to be this..." She held her tongue from rolling out the word _slob_.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you that Claire has a twin." Komui said, turning to his sister, Lenalee.

Lenalee blinked and her brother's words seemed to sink in already. Cassandra nodded.

"Wah!Sugoi!"Lenalee mused, automatically looking at Cassandra.

"Ah, Komui-san, have you had any idea where my room might be?" Cassandra asked, cutting the moment, looking a bit irritated and is already almost at her breaking point. She was so disgusted about the room and wanted to leave or clean it- immediately.

"Ah, wait just a moment. I swear I was just looking at it a while ago and now it's gone… must be here…" He said as he dug through the pile of papers on his desk.

Cassandra rolled her eyes at the papers.

"Oh look, there's a doughnut!"

"A doughnut encapsulated by dust and mold." Cassandra commented. She wasn't amazed by his discovery.

"How can you guys bear this mess?" She said, clearly frustrated. "It's so uuuuuuuuugggggggghhhhhhh!-" she said as she squeezed her hands into fists.

"Y'know I can't stand too messy rooms and this is the worst case so far. And just so you know, I'm a neat freak. There are cob webs over here and there, some bread crumbs, ah hell! Worst case scenario. Do you even think of cleaning?" She said it hurriedly like someone's chasing her. Her words came out of her mouth and sounded like it just came out in one jumbled sentence.

The siblings found their mouth gaping open and decided to leave it like that.

"Ah, shit. I just did It again. Am I speaking too fast? Cuz this is the normal way I speak…" Cassandra said, slowing down on her last sentence.

"Found it." Komui said, waving the paper, sounding and looking utterly victorious upon finding the data under all the papers on his desk.

"That's okay Cassandra…" Komui said.

"Here's your room… Is on room 930…" He said, rubbing his forehead with his forefinger.

"Thank you." She managed to say.

"Why do you speak so fast? I don't even have the time to comprehend it." Lenalee said.

"I dunno." She replied, stepping closer to the chief's desk.

"What are you reading?-" Cassanra asked.

"Anyway… Thanks for the help..." She said, even though it's not her habit saying these magic words.

The siblings nodded and replied "your welcomes" and "don't mentioned its"

Cassandra started for the door when Komui called her. She looked back and asked

"What?"

"Ah, before you leave, Can you please- ah. Anyway…I'll personally accompany you to Hevalska."

"Hevlaska? Who's that?" She asked curiously.

"She has been serving the Order for a century now… She houses the owner innocence waiting to find their users." He explained.

"But, nii-san, don't you have a bunch to do?" His sister asked, looking concerned.

"What if Reever-san found out that you've been skippi-" She was cut off by her brother's cry of agony while kneeling beside his sister, hugging her leg.

"Please don't-." He pleaded. "I have a valid reason doing it."

"Really now. Well I didn't say that I'd be telling on you." Said Lenalee, who almost laughed at her brother.

"Really?" said Komui, standing up looking all shimmery.

Lenalee nodded and smiled. Cassandra looked from the chief to his sister and back and forth.

"Sibling love." She muttered.

"Anyway, let's get going." Komui said, walking towards the new Exorcist.

"Let's go."

**At Hevlaska's Chamber…**

"Woah!"

Cassandra's voice echoed through the vast underground chamber where it held a massive white creature that had a dragon like body as they departed from the elevator that led them to the bowels of the order. Their feet clanged against the metal floor. When they have reached the metal railing that restricts any person from going any further and from falling off into the abyss, the white thing stirred and looked down to see Komui and a new face.

"Well, hello Komui." The white thing greeted .

"Hello my dear friend, Hevlaska." Komui said, removing his beret hat and bowed.

"Who is this young lady that you have brought here today?" Hevlaska asked in a supple voice.

Cassandra answered for him.

"I'm Cassandra Evans… a parasitic type …" She said in a clear voice with a smile and trailed off, not knowing to say more.

"I believe that I have seen you somewhere…" Hevlaska said, trying to dig up her memories.

"A parasitic type? That's rare…" Komui said.

"I agree." Hevlaska said.

"Actually, she has a twin named Claire that's why her face is familiar to you." He said.

"She got here before me huh." Cassandra said to herself.

"I'll check your synchronization rate…" Hevlaska said as white tentacle like arms reached for Cassandra and lifted her from the metal floor. She dared not to look down since she is afraid of heights and tried to focus on Hevlaska's face instead. The white tendrils that are part of Hevlaska's tentacle- like limbs coiled carefully around Cassandra's waist, ankles, limbs and her head.

"W-wait!" She's frozen in horror as a buried memory triggered her body to convulse.

"20….25…26…30…60... 70..." Hevlaska counted quietly.

She was shaking violently and felt like she was drowning with fear as Hevlaska linked her forehead with hers.

Hevlaska put her down immediately before she passed out.

"Komui!"

Komui caught Cassandra who sagged helplessly against his arms.

"Are you alright?" Komui yelled again and this time it reached her.

"Huh?" She asked, snapping her head up and her big green eyes widened as she was brought back to reality.

Komui was holding her shoulders tightly. She sat up and spun around.

"What the hell happened?" She asked, tucking herself in a fetal position.

"I should be the one asking that."

She propped herself up and managed to even though she her knees were like jelly. She wobbled and almost stumbled if she had not caught the metal railing next to her.

"How was it?" She looked up and asked Hevlaska who is kind and full of concern even though she didn't know what really happened when she was shaking.

"Your synchronization with your Innocence is... I didn't finish checking it but it's high."

_What's with this girl? the innocence in me stirred._

"Oh, I see…" is what she managed to say.

"Why were you shaking so hard?" She asked softly.

She averted her gaze from Hevlaska that looked pained and sad.

"Okay."

"Then, can you please lead me to my room now?"

Cassandra's mood changed in an instant and became a gleeful girl from a crazy convulsing girl. But the fact that eyes can't hide the fact that she's been hurt somewhere even if her mood tried its best to shroud the feelings that she has kept locked up inside and that's mainly why she hates these eyes because they're a giveaway. She tried to smile. Komui nodded and they rode the elevator up and said thank you and good bye to Hevlaska. Through the journey up, she has remained quiet all the way to her room.

"Komui." Hevlaska called.

"Yes?"

"Keep an eye on that girl."

**Cafeteria.**

"Hey, aren't you going to be fat by doing that? I mean we need to stay fit and all that to be able to do our jobs properly and you're hoarding." said Claire who is sitting across Allen and Lavi.

Allen looked up from the bowl of dangos he ordered to her curious red eyes. He hasn't replied yet since he knows table manners. 'Don't talk when your mouth is full' but in his case, his mouth is always filled beyond its capacity. He managed to choke down all the dangos he'd eaten but before he could reply, Lavi managed to reply for him.

"He's a parasitic type that's why." Lavi said.

"Thanks Lavi." Allen said, drinking a glass of cold water.

"Oh, so does that include all parasitic types hoarders?" She asked.

Lavi thought for Klaud, the female general who is a parasitic type too. He never saw her eat though. He laughed before he answered. He'd pay to see her devour food like Allen.

"I don't know since he and Kuro-chan's the only people that I know that are parasitic types… well Kuro-chan's not a hoarder you know." He said and gave her a wink in which she automatically gave a sneer in return.

"And you don't get fat?" She added.

"True." Allen said.

"Hey, where's your watchman?" Claire asked.

"Hm… I don't know. Maybe he used the bathroom." He replied.

"Well, that's unusual since he's always tagging along." She said.

"Well, I'm just gonna eat on another table since this table is already filled with your food." Claire said, leaving the table with her tray.

Allen waved good bye. She joined Lenalee who is sitting across her back facing only ones who were on the table are finders in yellow coats. She could tell that it was Lenalee since she's the only girl she knows who has a dark green hair and is tied into a pigtail.

"Can I join you?" Claire asked.

Lenalee spun around to see Claire.

"Sure." She said.

She placed her tray across beside her and ate silently. She was about to stand up and head back to her room when someone caught her eye.

"Hey Claire," Lenalee said.

Someone she knows very well.

"I didn't know..."

The girl was eating beside two finders between Lenalee and her. A girl with black nail polish holding a spoon and digging in like there's no tomorrow.

"What?" Claire asked.

Someone who looks just like her and who hoards just like Allen.

"I didn't know that you had a twin."

Her words faded in the background.

Someone she missed so much.

Someone she'll never mistake for someone else.

Her mind screamed.

Cassandra


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

**Black Order**

Lenalee looked up to see what's holding Claire up. She said she was going to go to her room already but all she was doing is standing there and staring at someone.

"Hey, Claire, what's wrong?" Lenalee asked, her voice full of concern.

Claire was standing there like a statue, her mouth went dry, throat closed up but she managed to produce her sister's name.

"Cassandra?"

When Cassandra felt that someone was staring at her intently with familiar eyes, she swiveled out of her chair, dropping her spoon. That made a finder who was sitting next to her turn his head to face her. He picked up her spoon and handed it to her but she was so still that it almost freaked him out. He waved his palm across her green eyes but it didn't seem to get through her so he traced the path where her eyes were affixed. Then there he saw a mirrored image of her. Lenalee stared at what Claire was staring at and there she saw her twin that Komui was talking about. The finder looked from his seatmate to the girl she was staring at, back and forth so fast that it made him dizzy. Same goes for Lenalee but she was smart enough not to make herself dizzy since she already knew the truth.

"Claire?"

That made the chair move a little and attract a dozen of watchful cafeteria eyes including Lavi, Allen, Kanda who is eating quietly around the corner, Miranda who just arrived and said hi to Allen and Crowley who was happily sucking a lollipop.

"Cass!" Claire shouted.

"Claire!" Cassandra shrieked. They shouted at the same time and hurled themselves at each other.

Wait. If you're thinking that they're going to hug each other, tears overflowing from their eyes and kissing on the cheeks and just being emotional and feeling that the world just stopped just for their memorable reunion. You're wrong. This is what happened.

"Claire!" Casandra gave her twin a bear hug that almost knocked the air out of her twin that made her gasp.

The people thought that 'aren't they the sweetest thing?'

"Cass!" Claire said, kneeing her twin's.

Cassandra released her bear hug on her twin and her hands went to her twin's neck, squeezed it and shook it. Well that shocked the crowds who were watching their oh-so-called touching reunion with shock stricken faces, gaping mouths and some "oohs" and "aahs." They thought that it'd hurt when Cass strangles her but if you just saw Claire's face, you'd be laughing yourself.

Claire was laughing so hard that her face was flushed.

"You never changed! Cass." She said between laughs and breaths.

"How can strangling be so much fun?" Lavi asked Allen, grinning and inquisitive.

"Wait... Everything makes sense now!"

"What makes sense Lavi?"

He didn't get an answer from him because he already stormed off.

He just shrugged and stuffed his mouth with some more dangos. He only cared for the food at the moment.

Miranda gasped at the sight of someone strangling somebody on out in the open. Kanda didn't really cared about what's happening around him and when he saw the two of them strangling, he only used his own I-don't care or pissed off reaction. In which his famous snobbish 'tch' is used in the moment. Crowley yanked the lollipop from his mouth and hammered his fist onto his chest to prevent from choking on his own saliva.

"umm.. shouldn't someone be stopping this?"

The sisters heard it.

"No." They said at the same time.

"You slow bitch! You got lost again didn't you?" Claire said, slapping her sister's arm.

"Wasn't my fault that the map was upside down!"

"You don't even know how to read a compass much less a map!"

"Well..."

"Well?"

"Well."

"What?"

"Who would've thought that the European branch's going to get transferred in Japan?"

Claire laughed out loud which was un-Claire like of her.

"You haven't changed huh. Still stupid with directions."

She got a kick for that. then they strangled each other again

Cassandra loosened her grip on her twin's neck and moved her hend on her sister's hand when she noticed everyone in the cafeteria went silent and had stopped moving and their eyes had been settled on them.

"Aren't we a little scandalous here?" Claire whispered to her.

"Nah." She replied back with a grin.

Cassandra shot them a look. A look that told her what's on her mind.

"What're you all gawking at?" She hissed, squeezing her twin's hand when she noticed that she gave her a stop-it-or-everyone's-gonna-be-mad-look. But she held her head high as if there is nothing to be ashamed of.

Then the silence was broken by murmurs and eventually reverted back to normal as if nothing had happened. The people, who had turned their heads towards the main attraction a while ago, turned their heads back to their own plates.

"See? They're not mad." Cassandra said in her normal tone voice.

"Well I think that you should be ashamed of yourself not the other way around." Her twin said, grinning.

Cassandra gave her twin a smirk and threw her head back, laughed semi- hysterically and stopped when Lavi's group consisting Allen and Crowley, who is done sucking his lollipop approached them and Miranda who is sort of nervous around a new person.

Claire nodding grabbed the hand of her twin and walked towards the friendly and shocked Exorcists. She introduced her to everybody who is in front of them and proud to say that she's her long lost twin. And in turn, the Exorcists introduced themselves to her with friendly and sheepish smiles.

"Hey you." When it was Lavi's turn to introduce himself, he sprang up the event wherein his chiseled body was put to shame.

"Was it you?"

"What?"

Lenalee quickly ran towards Jerry's station and almost forgot that they will be holding a welcoming party for the twins this night. Jerry simply loved the idea that he's going to cook and many will eat lavishly. She ran back to her group that is huddled near the benches.

"That had barge-" Lavi was cut off as Lenalee dragged him away from the table.

"What is it?" He asked, scratching his cheek.

"We'll throw a welcoming party for both of them later." She said in a hushed voice.

"Oh…" He said, mimicking her hushed tone.

Cassandra's heart was hammering against her rib cage. He remembered. _Thanks Lenalee!_

"So can you please tour them around or something to keep them away from the cafeteria?"

"Easy-peasy. Since they practically don't know too much about the Order, it won't hurt to tour them around."

"Thanks, Lavi."

"Anytime."

"Spread the word to Allen, Crowley and the other Exorcists so they'll cooperate." Lenalee added, stopping Lavi from walking back to the group. Lavi gave her a thumbs up and a smile and jogged back to the group.

**Karakura Town**

**Ichigo's Bedroom…**

Ichigo lay in his bed, resting his head in his arms and is staring at the ceiling. Rukia sat on his computer chair and is doodling some of her bunny creations while humming an unknown upbeat song. The window is open, letting in some of the night's breeze. Ichigo immediately sat up from his bed and looked at the window, only to see the starry night sky. He scratched his orange head and muttered something like

"Am I just seeing something or what…" Rukia turned around when Ichigo mumbled something. She immediately stood up, causing the wheeled chair to hit the wall of Ichigo's room and saw a red haired girl sitting beside Ichigo. Ichigo, startled by Rukia's sudden movement caused him to jerk.

"How did you get in here?" Ichigo asked, almost squeaking in shock when he saw a red haired girl beside him and instantly jerked away from her to give them space.

Kumi pointed at the open window and asked,

"Are you startled?" She asked in a soft voice, leaning her head to the right, getting a good look on Ichigo's funny face.

Ichigo stared at her pretty green eyes and did not care to reply.

"Captain Kumiya- Kumi, what are you doing here?" Rukia chirped.

Kumi turned her head around to see Rukia dressed in yellow checkered pajamas.

"Captain?" Ichigo sounded shocked. "But I can't feel anything from you…"

"Pffttt. Now you realized. Don't you remember me? You sure do havepoor memory" Kumi teased.

"And I can suppress my Spiritual pressure totally, don't mean to brag." She added and released a bit of her restricted reiatsu and yawned.

A sweat beaded on Ichigo's forehead.

"Thought I'd just drop by to say hello to the substitute shinigami everyone was talking about. I'm already gettin' bored in that shack."

_She means Urahara's_ shop?

"You're not listening a while ago aren't you?" Kumi asked.

Ichigo blinked and thought_ what the heck did she say? Can she read my mind?_

"I heard that you mastered your bankai in just a few days, acquired hollow powers… defeated a hollow in your early shinigami period, and rescued her from being executed." She paused to breathe and continued, this time she's speaking to Rukia.

"And you are also the one to awaken his slumbering powers am I correct?"

"You're well informed Captain." Rukia said, sitting down.

"And I also heard you being highly intuitive." she added.

Kumi's green eyes widened and reverted back to normal.

She smiled and asked,"How did you know that?"

It's Rukia's turn to smile.

"Rumor has it."

"Wow. Am I that famous?"

Rukia nods. " 'Menos Grande slayer' wiping out all of them only by using kidou."

"Woah."

" 'The Great Conflagration' too." Rukia added.

"Psh. They're just exaggerating." Kumi waved the rumors off with her hand as if they were flies.

"Anyway, I'll be leaving; maybe they think that I'm a stray cat that went here to play." She said that and she left.

There was a moment of silence until Rukia broke it by saying,

"Hey, Ichigo, have you done your homework already?"

"Eh?" He blinked.

"You didn't listen…" She said, throwing her notebook at his face which he didn't had the time to avoid it.

Ichigo didn't had the luxury of time to argue with her right now that he's sensing this weird hollow-like sensation. Rukia looked at her phone when it rang and showed the exact location of the hollows (akumas actually.) Their eyes met and they already know what to do.

**Urahara's shop**

The door slid open and Kumi entered the room just in time for supper.

The three men looked at her while stuffing their mouths with Tsubaki's cooking. Jinta and Urururu had just left to sleep when she entered the room. She removed her slippers and closed the sliding door.

"Where have you been?" Tsubaki asked.

"At Ichigo's." Kumi replied.

"Oh."

"Sorry Tsubaki-san, I'm going to have to skip my meal tonight." She said.

"That's okay."

"I just want to sleep for now."

"Good night." Hitsugaya said, which made her head turn around.

"Good night." She said tiredly. she faked.

Sliding the door closed, she slid the window open and vanished through it.

**Black Order**

"An hour has passed or even a day… How long have we been walking? Seriously…" Cassandra said, brushing back her long dark hair from her forehead as she walked.

"Yeah… It's been quite a while…" Claire said, peering around the corners when a couple of people in white passed by.

"The moon is so pretty tonight." Cassandra said, gazing up on the fully lit moon. The newly-renovated Order looks pristine under the cloudy night. The pretty red roses in the bushes and their thorns that were caught by the fascinating glow of the moon looked like they were lit up by some Christmas lights inside, the flawless white marble columns that lay atop of the stony paved floor looked ancient while the thorns and vines twined around it. The water flowing from the fountain glistened and reflected the moonlight.

They stopped walking when they heard her and gazed up to see what she was talking about. They agreed with her.

"Okay then, we better head back to the Order since already getting late…" said Lavi, turning to them.

Everything's quiet and peaceful until…

"Yeah, I think that's a good-"

Claire's voice was cut short due to hearing her twin's gasp and facial reaction while pointing at the once bright moon. Her face was shadowed due to some clouds cloaking the moon, or so she thought. There's an akuma hovering in the night sky.

"What is it?" Lavi asked, turning around and looking up, seeing the clouds give way to a dozen of akuma that were once inside the protective layer of clouds finally showed up.

"Oh my…" Lavi's words left his mouth as an akuma started firing three consecutive shots at them. They dodged them pretty easily.

Cassandra hissed. "You just ruined the pretty night, buttholes."

"Crap! I think I left my hammer! I can't find it on the usual place." Lavi panicked, searching for his hammer that is usually attached to his right thigh.

The twins glanced at Lavi's anxious face and back at the enemy.

"Oh, no… I think I dropped it when I slipped at the wet pavement there." Lavi pointed at the far end where the stone pavements turn to a halt and saw a tiny black metallic thing that is sitting there all alone. He glanced at them and told them that he's gonna go and get it.

"Don't worry. I have this thing right here, Lavi." Claire assured him that there will be no harm that will come to him as long as he stands back.

"Okay then." then he ran while avoiding some stray poison-filled bullets.

"You know what to do right, twin?" Cassandra asked.

"Yup."

The two stood with their backs at each other and activated their Innocence.

Claire pulled out her scythe while Cassandra's black nails grew longer, sharper and more lethal looking. Then they had leaped in time on their enemies when they had shot purple rays of light that are actually bullets and left a mini crater upon encountering with the ground.

"Eek! What could happen to us if we're hit by that?" Claire wondered, throwing her scythe in the night sky and sliced up a couple akuma bystanders and exploded.

"Then find out!" Cassandra yelled over the rounds of bullets being fired at them.

"Find that out yourself!"

Cassandra yelled happily, kneeing and elbowing the akuma while she dodged a bullet aimed at her head. The bullet had hit the akuma's head whom she was fighting before and it exploded. She had leaped off of it before the akuma exploded and slashed another akuma upon falling and it exploded again. She landed on her feet, and leaped again for the another akuma and it fired, she dodged it sideways and kicked her left foot and it hit an akuma for its sneak attack, landing her right hand on the stone pavement and kicked her other free foot and so it hit and penetrated the tank-like body of the akuma, both of what she had hit, exploded. Claire tugged at the chain that is attached at the end of her scythe and it automatically returned to her but instead of grabbing it, she jumped, missing her hand and it directly sliced at the upcoming sneaky akuma.

"Nice combo, twin!" Claire shouted.

Lavi had his hands on his dear little weapon when almost half of the akumas were annihilated.

"How's that?" Cassandra and Claire asked at the same time.

"Marvelous." He managed to say.

"But what the heck are those?" Lavi asked, pointing at the ever peeking moon.

The twins spun around to see a dozens ... no, hundreds of masked creatures with holes on their chests.

Hollows.

Hollows obscuring the beautiful moonlit starry night sky.

Rukia and Ichigo arrived at the scene just in time since the twins don't know what to do.

"Getsuga Tensho!" Ichigo yelled. As soon as he yelled it, a massive bluish white attack left from the tip of his massive black blade and hit a dozen hollows.

"Ichigo!" Rukia yelled.

"Look." She pointed.

"Why heck are they attracted to this place so much that they're _this_ many?"

"Dunno. But right now, we've got to clean this up." He said, grabbing his pointed blade on the left hand and the other over his left arm. Blue light radiated from his body and a massive reiatsu exploded from him when he shouted

"Ban-kai!" His clothes became awesome. His sleeves became longer, his sword slender.

Rukia fired an icy attack from mid air, freezing the hollows and sending to the place where they belong.

"Tsukishiro!" the hollows were captured in a thick pillar of ice by Rukia's shikai.

Then about a couple seconds later, when both of them are almost breathing hard, a blue rain of arrows protruded the bodies of the hollows and disappeared into thin air.

"Wow! That's like a can of bug spray!" Cassandra kidded, standing next to Lavi and her twin, watching the magnificent sight when the alarm sounded, signaling that there are intruders hovering above them. Soon most of the finders and Exorcists came rushing out of the building. But as soon as they left the building, there was almost nothing left for them to do. The Exorcists and some finders stood at the shade of the trees near the marble columns.

Ishida Uryuu, a Quincy emerged from the darkness wearing an all white coat with blue cross decorated in a fashionable manner.

Ichigo said the same exact thing as Cassandra said to Ishida. Sado arrived late and is with an orange haired girl named Inoue who is wearing a pink knee length skirt and purple shirt that bulged around her chest.

"Kurosaki-kun! Kuchiki san! Ishida-kun!" She shouted as she waved her hand at them.

"You're late!" Ichigo half- yelled at almost all of them.

"But that saved most of your energy, didn't it?" said Ishida who is propping his glasses with his left hand which is not holding the bow.

"Cool…"Miranda said to herself.

"tch." Kanda complained.

Ichigo reverted back into his standard shinigami form and his blade back to normal.

The two shinigamis descended from the sky and landed on the ground softly. They were meters away from the Order's structure.

Ichigo tried to approach the exorcists that he has met the other day when Ishida's voice stopped him.

"Stop, Kurosaki! Maybe they would attack or take it wrong. So back off for now until they give you –us the permission to enter their territory."

"Fine." Ichigo said.

Lenalee stood beside her brother who is on the front lines and is the nearest to the soul reapers. He stepped forward and greeted them,

"Good Evening."

"Good evening." Ichigo's group replied.

"So this is the Order you're talking about..." Ishida said.

After the Exorcists have left Ichigo's house, Ichigo, Rukia and Ishida, informed Inoue and Sado of their existence.

Komui approached Ishida, Inoue and Sado, passing through Ichigo and Rukia who is standing next to him.

"Can't he see us?" Rukia asked.

"Maybe." Ichigo replied.

"What the heck? Komui san just passed through the carrot guy." Claire said.

"Can't he see them?" Lavi asked.

"Beats me." Cassandra replied.

"Thank you for taking care of these for us…" he trailed off, not knowing what to say exactly.

"That's okay, after all, it's our job to do it." Ichigo boasted.

Komui acted as if he hadn't heard anything.

"Um, can't you hear him?" Inoue pointed at Komui's side.

"Who? I don't see anyone?" He said.

"That's weird." Ishida said.

"You must be the people whom were reported to us that possess powers that can defeat akumas." Komui said. Lenalee is still behind him looking at how weird the scene is.

"Anyhow, this isn't the place where we should talk, do you agree?" Komui said.

"How about we talk inside…" He offered, glancing at his sister for support.

"Now how did we end up here?" Ichigo asked, gawking at the fast moving people on the huge corridors that led them to the cafeteria.

"Whose party are we going to attend to, anyway?"Sado asked to no one in particular.

They arrived at the cafeteria wherein there are balloons and a huge sign that said: WELCOME HOME! CASSANDRA AND CLAIRE

The tables are almost full of food and people dressed in yellow coats.

"Never thought that this place would be this welcoming and home-like…" Rukia said softly.

Soon, the main stars of the event tonight have arrived when the people shot out confetti and shouted "Welcome Home!"

Each of them was given mugs for the coffee by Lenalee and they enjoyed for the rest of the night.

"Well, this is home, Claire." Cassandra said.

"Yup, Yes it is." She agreed and added, "Anywhere with you is home."

"What? Did you say something?" Cassandra asked, snapped out from spacing out.

"Nope." Claire denied.

Cassandra rolled her eyes and said,

"Just shut the hell up and eat, or I'll finish them all by myself."

"You're such a glutton."

"Let's Partayyy!"

Note:

Jerry is the cook of the European branch who wears round glasses and a Chinese outfit and wears his pink hair in braids


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

**Urahara's Store**

The sun peeped through the horizon as Urahara Kisuke is enjoying a cup of hot tea in his living room. Toshiro slid the sliding door open gently as to not disturb the serene morning. The two greeted each other good morning at the same time.

"Would you like some tea?" Urahara asked.

Toshiro nodded and plopped down to a pillow. He gladly took the cup of steaming hot tea from him that he has poured into and sipped from it.

"You're early today, are you going to school today?" Urahara asks.

"No, I'm going to patrol the town today." He replied.

"Ah, by the way, Captain Kumiyama has left on the break of the dawn for Soul society. She said she has to report something to the head captain immediately and she has to retrieve something that she forgot to get."

"Oh I see." Toshiro said. "This tea is rather good." He commented when he sipped his tea.

"But the reason why I woke up early today was because I have something to ask you" he paused, looking at what kind of reaction the man sitting across him would make.

"Urahara-san, do you know anything about humans who harbour strong magic or power that can see souls and are wearing black?" he asked.

Urahara didn't reply for almost a minute but finally said "It's a secret kept from most of the soul society. Only trusted Captains are allowed to keep this secret and I am one of those trusted captains." He paused for a moment and continued. "Since I am an ex-captain, I guess I can tell you a bit of it…"

Interest aroused from Toshiro and he said "Please do..."

Urahara cleared his throat and began. "Soul society has discovered this little organization that holds great power to defeat the forces of darkness… We've been monitoring them in the shadows so they won't know of our existence and vice- versa. We- captains of squad eight, nine and thirteen including me knew all about this. I fear the most of what they will do about this knowledge once they got a hold of it."

"Thank you, I really appreciate that." He said and stood up, taking a soul candy from his pocket and swallowed it. His body is now occupied by another soul while he is in his shinigami form. "I'm heading out." He said.

"Ah, before you go, she told me to give this to you." Urahara said, getting a mini sack from his pocket.

Toshiro looked back and reached out to get the miniature sack tied by a red string from his palm.

"She said that you'd like to have some…" Urahara said.

"Tch, that girl." Toshiro turned around to face the door and said, smiling.

**Karakura Town**

"Onii chan! Onii cahn! Wake up" Yuzu said, knocking at her brother's bedroom door upstairs.

"Wake up! Or dad will eat all the food Yuzu has made… your favourite food is going to get cold." Karin supplied, standing by her sister's side while drinking a glass of milk.

They heard Ichigo groggily replied "In a minute…" then they heard footsteps and finally a door creaking open and an exhausted face popped out from the door.

"Hiiyaaahhh!" Isshin Kurosaki, taking the opportunity to knock his son out sends a flying kick directly at his son's face but unsuccessfully, his son manages to dodge it. He wearily fixed his ruffled hair from sleep while shutting the door behind him.

"You're really my son! You may have dodged that kick but how about this?" his father asked, sends another kick to his face that he avoided again.

Ichigo went down the stairs, his sisters already ahead of him. He yawned and sat at a chair. "Where's Rukia?" He asked to his sister, Karin.

"In the bathroom" She replied and added "and she's taking a while now."

"I'll go and check on her." He said, standing up and headed for the bathroom on a hallway near the kitchen. He was about to knock when he heard her snoring. He stifled a laugh and knocked at the wooden bathroom door anyway. That woke her up and made her stumble out of the door, almost hitting her head on the door frame.

_On the way to school…_

"How was your nap?" He asked.

"Unexpectedly short…" She said and yawned, covering her mouth.

"I never knew that those kinds of people existed…" Ichigo said "Me too, hey… If they have been doing those kinds of work, how come we didn't know about these things up until now?" he asked.

"Maybe it is kept as a secret so that their existence wouldn't be noticed? We'll have to save that for later since we're going to Urahara-san's." She said.

"But their food was really tasty" He said, diverting the subject.

"I must agree." She nodded. "Oh Ohayo, Inoue-san!" She greeted her orange haired friend wearing the school's standard uniform: a white polo under a yellow cardigan, grey mini skirt and a pair of white thigh-high stockings. She waved her hand and greeted the same. And not so soon, Ichigo's other eye bagged friends soon popped out of the alleys and greeted each other sloppy good mornings.

"I so want to sleep… I didn't have a time to sleep." Ishida, a nerd with blue hair whose eye bags are obvious even when he's wearing square shaped glasses.

"I wonder why we're required to wake up this early in the morning…" Sado, a dark skin toned guy with thick dark curly brown hair that used to cover most of his gentle brown eyes until last night trailed off.

"Hey, do you like your new hair style?" Ichigo asked his friend, Sado.

"Well I guess, for a change." He ran his fingers through his short cropped cool-looking hair done by Cassandra. "But it was terrifying … the face she made was like she was going to chop someone's head off. She seemed to enjoy it though."

"Ah, Inoue-san, are you already okay?" Ishida asked her friend whom pissed the one who's responsible for their friend's awesome hairstyle. She just nodded and said that it was nothing and it was her fault by the way.

"Let's get going" Rukia said, making their idle group move towards their school.

**Black Order**

The cafeteria is now clean from last night's warm welcoming party for the twins who are still in a deep slumber in their own respective rooms. Cassandra gasped, palms sweating, she sat up from her bed that she wouldn't want to leave but she was awoke by a bad dream that she tried her best in everyday of her life to forget. Annoyed, she reached for the switch that is located at the wall near her bed and flicked the lights open, illuminating a room that is painted in light yellow. A wooden floor concealed mostly by a white fluffy rug by her bed that would please her when stepped on with her bare feet. But this morning, she doesn't notice the minute things that had always made her happy. She stood up but threw herself back to her little black sofa near the door, staring at the closed windows near her bed. She was still pissed off by last night's welcoming party as unexpected guests arrived at the scene. One particular woman made her night awful by bringing back appalling memories of the past.

Of course she wasn't pissed just because of a dumb question. She refrained from answering her question instead, she just shoved a scoop of cookies n' cream ice cream into her mouth to prevent the tears that are pooling in her eyes to spill. Her- their parents' lives were claimed by a tragedy that she never wanted to speak of, never wanted to reminisce that caused her life to fall apart. But she couldn't run away from the past. She shook her head as if the movement could help wipe away the misery.

"But this is better, she has suffered too much. It's better for me to be the one since it is I that had caused all of the misfortune to our family." She blamed herself softly; tears silently skated through her cheek which she wiped them away with the back of her hand as soon as she realized that they had left her eyes. "Ah, what the hell are you doing? Straighten up dumbass!" she told herself and accidentally hit her foot on the edge of a wooden bookshelf next to her sofa causing two books to fall from their shelves and her trash bin to topple, spewing out crumpled papers on the wooden floor.

"Shit! Damn it!" hugging her foot close to her chest. "Maybe it really is time for me to wake up." She planned to sleep for a little longer on her couch and would get up when her sister knocks on the door but she got out of her sofa anyway and went straight to her bathroom, leaving the mess behind. After she got out of her room, she saw her twin who was about to knock at her door when she opened it. "You thought I was still sleeping?" She partially asked, shutting the door behind her.

"You really don't care about how you look, do you?" Claire asked, resisting the impulse to hand- comb her sister's uncombed shoulder-length hair which is still dripping wet. "Well, you're a lazy ass and I'm always the one waking you up." She added and pinched her cheek which made her say 'ow' not her usual 'shit'.

"You haven't had any sleep… so you were _that _pissed." Claire said, peering at the tired bags beneath her eyes that weren't that obvious which she tried not that desperately to cover with her fingers.

"I don't want to recall anything that had happened last night; it makes me want to kill somebody."

"Well, what did really happen back then? I don't really remember anything…" she continued where they had left off from last night's conversation that was severed since Cass stormed out of the cafeteria, gazing at the opposite side of the wall.

"Well, it's far off better forgetting it than remembering it" Cassandra whispered in one of her fast sentences.

"What?" her sister asked questioningly.

"I said, 'I'm hungry'. I want to eat..." She mentioned all kinds of foods that she would 'normally' eat as she rubbed her tummy.

Claire didn't let her sister finish her blather about food "You're such a pig! It's still too early in the morning to eat something like that." She said in one of her lecturing voice that never fails to irritate her. "But I wonder why you don't get fat. At all." She said.

The door next to Cassandra's room creaked open causing the two's turmoil to momentarily cease. Their heads spun around and into their view Lavi who is yawning his way out.

Claire's jaw dropped which made her sister turn around and ask "What?"

"Caution: pervert" She whispered, still gaping.

"Eh? How did you know?" Cassandra asked in a hush.

"Watch out." She patted her left shoulder. "Good thing I'm not residing ta this floor." She added and saw her jerk slightly away from her.

"I'm going back to sleep..." Cassandra said, faking a yawn.

"You're not going anywhere but to the chief's office? Hurry up, lazy ass." Claire complained, slapping her twin's butt.

"What the heck's with you?" complained her twin. "You kept on slapping, pinching and what's next?"

_Hug?_ Claire wanted to ask but she knew all too well that her sister doesn't return hugs and there would be a moment spoiler guy at bay.

_Office_

"What the heck does this thing do?" Cassandra asked curiously, standing on a sea of papers and dust.

"Behold! My Komu I!" Komui boasted, eyes sparkling while standing next to his invention that is sitting on top of his desk.

"Wooah! Komui-san invented something new!" someone said from across the room that is carrying loads of paper with his two hands covering his face to his friend.

"Well I hope he invents something to lessen our jobs so that we can sleep…" The other groaned.

Komui, from the bottom of his heart wanted to yell "Shut the hell up!" but he never forgets his manners and he doesn't want his sister to be embarrassed in front of her friends or should I say, her- their family.

"Nii-san, what does this thing exactly do?" his sister curuiously asked, pointing at the strange eyeglasses which are her brother's state-of-the-art invention.

He cleared his throat and proudly told everyone in the room that the he had allotted his time in the past few days developing a seeing device for people to see spirits such as shinigamis. His interest was aroused by the unexpected human visitors (Ichigo's friends) who asked if they could see their other companions who are in spirit form which he cannot see since he does not have a high spiritual pressure to do so.

"Is this why you woke us up early?" asked Claire.

"There's more." Komui said, catching his breath and continued. "Staring tomorrow, you will be attending classes from your-" He hasn't finished talking yet when the disappointed emotions surfaced on the people's faces in front of him. "The schedule will be given to you later."

"I can't imagine that bastard teaching me." Allen rumbled, crouching on a corner wherein Lenalee, Lavi, the twins, Kanda and Krowley made a curvature around him feeling sorry for him but the twins know nothing of his stark history in the hands of his general.

"What's with him all of the sudden?" Claire asked to nobody in particular but her twin just shrugged and commented "anyway, Poor dude."

"Well, it's not the generals who'll be teaching you since they are too busy scouring the world for new apostles to fight Millennium Earl. Well, we cannot leave you as is when the world is changing." Komui talked over the dullness that hangs in the air. "That's why the order has hired teach-" he hadn't finished talking because the exorcists were huddled around him, looking dangerous and the same time, hopeful.

"But it wouldn't be the same as the experience with the schools you have once attended." He said. "I'm just wondering, who has attended schools here before they joined the order?" he asked. The twins raised their hands slightly.

"So what was it like? I had always wanted to experience the school atmosphere." Allen brightened up.

Cassandra answered first. "School is a place wherein you are held like a prisoner, creepy, blaring bell rings every now and then, signalling the next torturer who will visit your prison cell. Tedious assignments are given every day. And most of all, home of bullies." She smirked and eyed her sister who flinched at the last word she said.

"I think I don't want to go to school anymore…" Allen said, looking terrified. Everyone except Allen noticed the pained memory that was so obvious in Claire's red eyes. Her experience with school wasn't that great because of her peculiar eye color which was the source of her everyday pain. Every day of her life in the past years she wished that her eye color would be switched with her sister's but that would be too selfish of her. Or be the same as her twin's so the bullying would stop. She felt distant from her classmates since they were frightened of her blood-red gaze that they always averted.

_Garden_

"Are you all right? Because you didn't look too well a while ago." Lenalee asked Claire, voice full of concern. She nodded and told her that she just remembered some things. Lenalee asked her kindly if she could tell some of it so it may lift some of her bothers if she likes.

She looked up at the tree that's shading the two of them from the scorching afternoon sun. "Well, that's fine with me." She smiled. "When we were still in middle school? No, since forever… I have been detested because of my weird eye color and the people around me would call me nasty names like 'monster' 'red eyed freak' whatsoever." She laughed softly and continued, not wanting to look at Lenalee's sure anxious face. "And so I was bullied. I didn't tell my parents since I'll just get them worried to death. But good thing that _she_ was there for me." A smile lit up on her face in the midst of the sad story she's telling. "_She's _like a prince in shining armor not in an aluminium foil like she would always say without the sword and the horse but equipped with fists and the piercing green eyes as _they_ would say."

"Your sister?" Lenalee asked and she got a nod and a smile in return.

"And I'm her red eyed fragile princess." She added.

"One time I asked her that if I can have her eye colour since I'm always getting bullied for it. She hit my head and said "Why would you want that? You have unique eye color. They're just jealous… then she looked into my eyes and said "they're beautiful"." She laughed again.

"Cheesy!" Lenalee said, also laughing. "That's so sweet."

"And there's more. She doesn't openly admit her feelings to other people much as tell to other people face to face that you are pretty but she could tell you in the face all the negative attributes you have starting with your face." She laughed again.

"But she praised you, didn't she?" Lenalee asked.

"She doesn't even tell somebody that she loves somebody. She's really shy."

"You really know a lot of things about her… and it's obvious that you adore her."

"Yeah, but I don't know if she also knows a lot of things about me like I do."

**Soul society**

**Squad nine~**

"Welcome back Taichou." said Hisagi.

Kumi nodded and grinned. "Are you done yet?"

"No?" He said, staring down at the pile of paper works on the desk, floor and at hand.

"Well I guess I can help." As she said it, a light of hope is flicked on his face. She closed the door, joining her vice-captain who was left to do a mountain of paper works. Even though he lost to the bet they made three days ago, she still had the heart to lessen his burden.

"You can take break. I'll do this by myself... It's up to you if you want to come back. But judging from the way you look and think, you will come back." She said as she shooed him away from the seat and sat there and gestured him to the door.

He was really shocked but it took him a while to process what's really happening. He only snapped out of it when he noticed his superior's prolonged look on him and said sorry and thank you at the same time. It only made a smile out of his Captain's face.

"Leave now or I'll change my mind." She joked. He straightened up and hurriedly started for the door and bowed again before closing the door gentle.

"Why do we have to do so much paper works?" She complained while staring at the pile of papers sitting on top of her desk waiting to be signed. She sighed.

"Oh, Hisagi-san. I thought that I'd never see you again." Kira greeted his buddy whose back is against the trunk of an old tree.

"Vice captain Kira, What are you doing here?" Hisagi asked, turning around to see him. "You too." He added.

"There are so many paper works left to do." Kira commented. They both sighed.

"But my captain said she'll do it for the mean time while I go and take a break." Hisagi said, almost smiling.

"Really? Well, shouldn't she be the one who'll do the paperworks?" Kira asked, walking towards the under the shadow of the tree his fellow shinigami is shaded in.

"Well, it may sound funny but I lost to the bet we made three days ago." Hisagi said, making his friend a bit surprised and interested so he kept on talking. "Who loses the match shall do the paper works she said. Of course I'd agree to that. For the sake of me being her subordinate who can't say no to a challenge..." He said and trailed off; remembering the event that took place on their barrack's training ground.

The training ground was spacious and the four corners of it were packed with shinigamis enticing their match practice and the same time a bet.

"This is a great chance to see what our Captain is really capable of doing..." A shinigami on a corner said to his friend who has his eyes peered open and neck craned since he can't see their captain because of her small stature and the clump of people in front.

She drew her sword from her back, it was freed from its black and gold scabbard and it gleamed as a ray of sunlight had hit it. Her blade was thin but lethal looking but she hasn't unsheathed the whole sword. Her Vice captain unsheathed his swords completely from its cover. She took a step forward and vanished from where she was standing before and appeared in front of Hisagi, still clutching her hands on the hilt of the sword which now struck the sword of her lieutenant and quickly removed a dagger from her sleeve and almost afflicting a heavy injury on her lieutenant's throat for if he had not dodged it with his quick reflex. Her zampakutou appears slender than the normal ones, but it took almost all his strength to deflect himself from her jarring attack force. What if I was hit by that kind of force? He thought at the moment.

"Hisagi-kun" Kira said for the third time, snapping his friend out from his memory. "I'm going to leave already to finish the last pile of paper works." "Man, you're really spacing out, good thing your captain has let you take a break, look at your face." he started to walk away from him and bid his good bye and disappeared from his sight.

The huge wooden gate opened with her touch and a hallway that leads to another big wooden door, inside was the head captain Yamamoto who was looking out of his balcony a cane at hand; he didn't turn around to see the newly proclaimed captain standing idly by the open door.

"Squad nine is one of the squads that I had entrusted the secret with until they betrayed us." The old man said before she could open her mouth to speak.

There was no need for her to ask to what secret he was pertaining to

Instead, she asked "So how many of the squads are entrusted with this secret?"

"Squads twelve, nine, eight and thirteen..." He looked out at the balcony again. He coughed and continued "That's why I have requested you to come here."

"I have failed to inform the current squad twelve Captain, Kurotsuchi Mayuri because of that incident not too long ago... Aizen..."

Kumi let her memory swim inside her head while stamping the very last of the paper mound when her Hisagi came in. "You sure did took your sweet time" She said, stretching her arms to exhibit the stack of papers now gone from her table and are now stacked neatly on the side of her table ready to be sent.

Hisagi was amazed by her remarkable ability of finishing the work within an hour. Who really is she, the girl sitting behind the table smiling? He thought.

**Millenium Earl's Lair**

The table held a bouquet of flowers at the center and some candles illuminating the rectangular table where the Noah family sat and ate the delicacies prepared at the dining table.

"Tyki…" Rhode, a tiny girl that used to have dark purple spiky hair now has her hair pulled back by a head band and her hair now has grown chin- length called. "Can you help me do my assignment? Please…" she pleaded.

"Again?" Tyki, a handsome young man who appears to be in his twenties removed his hat with white gloved hands and complained.

Millennium Earl sat at the far end of the table and as always, a smile stretched to the full extent of his facial muscles and jaw too, a flowered tall hat and underneath it is still unknown, he wore glasses that concealed his stark yellow eyes, spoke.

"This family reunion is rather sad, don't you agree?" he asked to the two of them present at the moment while other members of the family are being reincarnated and some are running late.

"Just as you said, Millennium Earl-sama" Lulubelle said, she's currently in her cat form, a white cross etched on her forehead, continuously rubbed her soft head on her master's feet.

"Our search for the heart will resume in a few days, and I would guarantee them that it won't be as easy as next time since we have new _friends_ alongside." The door opened, other members of the family filled the room.

**Soul society**

"Yachiru-chan…" Kumi smiled while walking on the woods near squad twelve's barracks wherein guards are situated at the gate. She felt the candies on her pocket that was given to her by Yachiru, her playmate in soul society. She hummed while she walked leisurely. Her little happiness was broken by a noise coming from squad twelve. She immediately and instinctively half ran towards that direction and stopped when she saw a green glow emanating from the other direction. Which is more suspicious, the glowing green light or the source of the noise? She thought. Well, whatever the green thing is, it's heading her way, causing her to black out.

Author's note:

Hey there! So sorry that it took me a very long time to finish this chapter. I hadn't had the luxury of time so… it took a hell of a long time. ^_^

Oh and thanks for the people who have read or are in the process of reading my latest chapter!


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

**Black Order-**

Staring into the molecules of air, though impossible, Claire bumped into her unnervingly quiet sister, making the contents of their trays slosh around.

"You look like dried up prunes.", commented Claire as she stared at her spitting image save for the exhausted look and bangs that partially covered the always intense emerald green eyes. Claire, thinking that her sibling's brain has ceased to function due to hunger, scanned for a place where they could sit in this spacious room teeming with strangers milling about with trays of food.

"I thought that we won't study anymore since we would be kicking ass round the clock, but here we are, like high school students… " Claire listened to her sister grumble about as her twin found an unoccupied bench by one of the arched windows. As soon as they settled down Cass devoured her lunch.

"Mind if I join you two?'' Lenalee, with a charming smile that complements her lavender eyes strode next to the twins.

"Not at all." Claire answered for her sister who was already on her way finishing her third plate. Lenalee didn't even looked to be disturbed by how the food in Cassandra's plate seem to vanish within a heartbeat as she sat down opposite of them. This piques Claire's curiosity and asks Lenalee and as for her answer, she just points at the mountain of food that was being mowed down in an insane rate but continuously being refilled by people garbed in white.

"Who on earth is responsible for _that _insanity?! My sister's a pig but... _that_?" Claire earned a jab in the rib for that insult but she kept eating.

. "Oh that's Allen-kun. He's got quite the appetite doesn't he?"

"Wow~" Cass with a mouthful of beef, chimed in. "He sure does eat a lot. What a pig."

Claire jabbed her in the rib. "Says the one who eats every hour."

Cass's eyes bulged magnificently at her sister who gave away prized information. She swigged down a glass of orange juice, not breaking her stare down contest with her sister.

_Your blood will be spilled._ Her eyes threatened, though Claire seemed to be enjoying this.

Claire apologized to Lenalee on Claire's behalf for calling Allen a pig while she stared down her sister, long and intense enough to have their eyes shooting laser beams at each other.

Lenalee felt the urge to break the ice since she felt somewhat responsible for this situation.

"So you're a parasitic type?" Lenalee said brightly, a ray of sunlight trying to penetrate between the cracks of dark clouds of a storm.

Cassandra just shrugged, her fork hovering over a piece of strawberry.

"What's all that noise?" Claire gestured at the ever growing noise to her left.

"Oh, just the usual brawls. You should get used to it." Lenalee sighed, taking a bite of her sandwich.

Cassandra impaled her strawberry and shoved it in her mouth and approached the source, emanating a deadly calm aura.

"What's she doing?" Lenalee looked worriedly over Cass who still had a fork in her mouth.

"Would you please minimize your er… rowdiness. Apparently, you're not the only one dining in this place." Cassandra said to the men in yellow coats who just laughed at her.

"Would you look at that missy." Said a guy in a British accent, "None of them "- gesturing at the other people who cursed at them with their eyes for being too rowdy but too afraid to apprehend them "-complained directly."

Cassandra, maintaining a calm façade said, "Your logic sucks. Your cranium doesn't serve any purpose by the way."

"You think you're so smart now cuz yer one of 'em?!", said another guy who reeked of booze.

"So words don't get through so if you don't SHUT the hell UP-" Claire appeared by her sister's side and is trying to drag her away from the group of men, away from trouble.

"Or what?"

Somebody hurled a glass of juice at Cassandra but it was her sister who got hit, whose face was shielded by both of her arms, some shards cutting through the fabric of her jacket.

Cassandra spun and shot them a murderous look, not bothering to ask who threw it. There's no stopping her now.

Then all hell broke loose.

The table was turned upside down. Arms and legs flew and connected with a crunching sound in various places.

In less than eight seconds, they were beaten down into nothing more than grovelling bloody pulps that lay on top of one another. Cassandra threw her fork and it sank between the fingers of the guy with the British accent.

"Do that again and you'll lose your fingers." She threatened.

"Let's go get you to the infirmary." Cassandra told her sister.

The cafeteria was silent except Claire's dripping wet clothes and Cassandra's footsteps.

_**Training session**_

Exorcists who haven't been deployed into missions would train under exorcists who have great idea was approved by Lenalee's brother, Komui so as to simulate the events in a battlefield and avoid unnecessary casualties. For some unknown reason, finding compatible hosts for the Innocence has been difficult these days. Today the only exorcists who are neither recuperating nor dispatched in missions are Lavi, Allen, Lenalee and Krowley.

Johnny, his brown haired afro tied back into a ponytail whose face is mostly occupied by a pair of huge round glasses together with Steve would oversee today's sparring. Johnny's here so he could match the twin's battle style to their official uniforms.

Steve introduced himself as their instructor for the rest of the day who has a spiked black hair encased in wax.

"Someone wouldn't want to get impaled by that…" Cassandra hummed to herself.

Claire chuckled upon hearing her sister's side comments, causing the instructor to look at her and ask them, "Is there anything funny?" "Besides your hairstyle?" Cassandra wanted to add it but knew better so she kept her mouth zipped. Claire, clamping down a giggle, shook her head and the instructor nodded.

He looked at the paper he's holding and read. "The pairings are: Lavi-Cassandra"- that caused them to look at each other. –"Allen-Claire"

"The rules as of today: use your Innocence, if anybody is injured badly, the match will be stopped immediately. Time limit is 2 minutes so make the most out of it. Don't die. That's all. For the remaining people, please kill time in those sheds for your own safety. You don't want debris fallin' on your head." He pointed his pen towards a sturdy looking roof and underneath it sat very inviting couches.

"Good luck, you're first!" Claire said. The two contenders stepped into the marble arena which is the whole room.

"I have seen you kicked those Finders' butt in the cafeteria." Lavi said.

"What of it?" She asked, tying her hair up into a ponytail.

"Pretty awesome." He winked his available eye at her since the other was underneath an eye patch, earning an eye roll from Cassandra. "But I won't go easy on you."

"Good then. You might just keep your head intact with the rest of your body."

"Oohh. Aren't you underestimating me? You might lose yours."

Cassandra raised her brows at him.

"Begin."

She lunged at him at a frightening speed, her nails glowing slightly green, not giving him the chance to activate whatever his Innocence is. He backed away before he got cut by her nails but luckily, his shirt got damaged instead of his chest. The moment he was taken by surprise, she was already in front of him. She aimed her fist to his gut only to have it blocked so she swung her leg to his head which he swiftly ducks from. He swings his leg out to her other feet that was planted to the ground in hopes of toppling her but she uses his head as support as two of her legs went up into the air, leaving a scratch to the side of his neck as she landed far from him.

"Not bad." Steve said.

"I could've decapitated you." She said.

He wiped it away with his finger. He produced a tiny black mallet that came from his side, twirling it as it extended and enlarged.

"Why isn't she using her Innocence?" Lenalee asks Claire who is sitting next to her.

"Well, she's analysing the enemy's abilities." The truth is, right now, using her Innocence for long periods strains her body that she'd collapse and won't wake up for a day or two.

_I need to put some distance between us if I'm going to use that to squash her._ He swung his hammer, catching her by surprise as it reached her; its pointed end grazes her cheek a little as she tumbled backwards gracefully to dodge it.

_Here's my chance._ "Level 2, release." as soon as he said it, seven glowing spheres floated around him.

"Fire stamp." As he hit one of the things that hovered by his hammer, connecting it to the ground, torrents of flames came rushing forth. Each pillar of flame became dragons that have fire for eyes.

"What the heck." Cassandra ran, cartwheeling from the flames that are playing tag with her.

_Bastard. Standing around while your pet beasts try its best to catch up to me…_

"Sorry, but this is goodbye, flames. " Her nails extended, slicing dragon headed flames that had once been encircling her, now, they're nothing more than mere smoke and embers. He was startled at how easily his flames got snuffed out.

"I've never seen anyone who had nullified Lavi's attacks since fighting with the Noahs…" Allen murmured to himself.

Grinning triumphantly, she emerged from the smoke and bolted for him. Red hair whipping, he narrowed the distance between them. He made his hammer even larger, already the size of a truck.

She had cartwheeled out of its destructive path when it connected with the ground where it left a crater.

_This is it. _

She leaped onto his oversized hammer and onto its handle, catching him by surprise. When she reaches where his hands are gripping the handle, she stopped, whirled around and used her left heel to kick his face which he guarded with surprising swiftness of his arms, enough to send him skidding a few feet away.

She swung her right hand at his direction, the wall above him collapsed. He looked up to see the wall spew marble debris to his head. He got out of its way by riding his hammer to the skies before he got crushed beneath the cascading debris.

"Yo." A voice greeted behind Lavi.

"How … when?!"

"20 seconds remaining." A voice boomed in the background.

"When you were busy escaping that." Smiling, she pointed at the concaved wall, letting sunshine in, now twenty feet below.

She took a swipe at his face and missed, only slicing air, leaving green and red sparks as the column where she could've sliced his face into half were cubed and others, pulverized.

"Scary."

After blocking a hit from him with her left arm, she pointed her forefinger at him, nails gleaming. When she lunged for his neck, he swung around, the other side of his neck grazed.

Her vision swam and she lost her footing.

Lavi managed to grip the handle and her leg before she plummets to her death. Dangling as she was breathing hard, face pale, head ponding, she was alive.

"Time's up."

"Scared of heights?"

Through her swirling vision, she managed to flash him a vulgar gesture which made him gasp. He commanded his hammer to shrink, in a heartbeat they were already on the ground. There was applause from a small audience seated in couches behind the barrier. She staggered towards the seats where the air rippled and shimmered, with Lavi at her back.

"Barrier huh?" she poked her finger out of the boundary; around her finger were swirling iridescent whorls.

"Good job!" The other exorcists including her twin flocked around her, congratulating her for a job (kicking Lavi's ass) well done.

"Congratulations." ,said Cassandra "I won't be able to tell you that later cuz I'll be sleeping." Claire nodded, giving her sister a thumbs-up.

After they dispersed, she let her sink into one of those couches and closed her eyes, her bangs now covering them. Somewhere in the fight, her hair got undone by some gusts of wind.

"Yo!" , said someone as that someone plopped down right next to her, making her bounce.

"Why sit here? There are lots of couches available…" Cassandra said softly, eyes still shut closed.

"Oi!" Lavi waved his palm across her face to see if she'd react but her eyes only twitched, brows drawn together by her irritation.

"Oi!" He tried again, a smile creeping up in his face. He was enjoying bugging her.

Grabbing him by the throat, she hissed into his face, " . I. . SLEEP. Get it?" she shook his head, hitting the sofa in time with each word for maximum emphasis.

He was fazed by the onslaught and at her angry face's sudden proximity to his. _Hiiihhh _

"So noisy… I'm gonna throttle you next time you do it…"

_But you already did it!_ He thought.

Grumbling, she plunked back in the seat and attempted to sleep. Claire, laughing, stood far away from her sister who knew better than to disturb her sister in her sleep. She's like the dragon the foolish knights that were ordered to slay that slept peacefully, harmless, in its cave until…

"Then sleep here." He said, patting his lap. She didn't hear a word he said since she was already asleep when he opened his mouth. Her head bobbed twice and slid to his shoulder. He looked at the face that was stuck in a scowl since he met her relax.

"Now that's an interesting development," commented Claire who strode off the barrier.

"You know, you're pretty cute if you would just smile more, scowl less." He mused to himself. Actually, she does smile only he doesn't see it.

Twirling her retractable scythe, Claire stepped in the arena, followed by Allen, his silky bangs swaying as he strode across the room.

"Start"

"Activate!" the two of them said it at the same time. Claire, the blade of her scythe finally unravelled. Its sickle was twice as long as her arm, sleek black, its edges glowed green, promising quick death. Allen on the other hand, had his white cape hung over his shoulder, a gloved hand on the right hand and a clawed one on the other.

"Shall I go first?" Allen asked.

"Sure."

She shifted the scythe to her left hand while he aimed his right hand which is producing white bandage-like threads going for her. She jumped past them, shearing them as she landed softly in front of him. She swung her scythe; her blade met his claws, producing sparks. They both backed away from each other at the same time.

Claire whirled to gain momentum on her swing, her blade only to meet with Allen's claws. She tried to skewer him repeatedly with the pointed end of her scythe but he dodged it appropriately, armed with years of experience.

He assaulted her with crown like missiles that came from his other hand. Wherever they landed produced nothing but smoke and crushed debris. Claire didn't want to be like them. Twirling the scythe between her fingers in swift circular motion, like a plane's propeller. They blasted in contact with her chain, producing smoke, debris sprayed harmlessly against the invisible the cover of smoke and what not, she threw her scythe at him.

Out of the corner of his eye, a sickle emerged, unsuccessfully beheading him. Strands of his silky white hair were cut as compensation.

It was all she needed to distract him.

"Return." She said, reeling in a phantom chain attached to the end of her scythe that was hovering just above Allen's head.

"You're really bent on decapitating me huh?" , dodging it within a moment's notice. He truly is a veteran exorcist.

Catching the handle and twirling it efficiently, she aimed at him.

She swung it again, making an arc wherein Allen tilted his head backwards; He flipped backwards twice as the scythe flew over his head.

She used the blade of the scythe like a javelin, launching herself into the air and at him. Blocking her attack, he sidestepped and shot his arm in her direction which she parries with her blade.

"He's just going easy on her." Lavi said.

"Well it's a waste if I didn't show you this." Allen said, drawing out his arm that turned into a sword.

Claire's mouth formed an o.

Their blades clashed against each other, neither giving ground.

_His blows are getting heavier and heavier. _

She tried piercing him through the pointed end by the blade multiple times but he was just great at parrying her attacks and breaking through them.

They ended up with their blades at each other's throat.

"Time's not up but oh well. Let's stop it."

**Karakura Town**

_Urahara's shop_

"Tadai~ma!" Kumi yelled as she emerged from the sliding doors.

"Oh, you're back!" Urahara said, lifting his head from the newspaper he's reading.

"Hey, Urahara-san, have you heard the news?" she asked as soon as she sat down across from him.

"What news?" her question drew interest in his eyes.

"About Squad twelve's captain's experiment being stolen."

"Stolen?"

She nodded, taking out small sacks from her pocket. "Want some?"

"Rock candies?" he asked and she nodded in response. He popped some in his mouth.

"Where did you get these?" Urahara asked.

"Ah, those are from Yachiru-chan." Then she suddenly remembered something.

"I have been passing by the forest near the Squad twelve's barracks to go back when I heard glass breaking coming from the direction of the Research Bureau. Curious, I went straight ahead. Then I saw a green light coming my way…" she tilted her head, straining to remember things. "And I think I have blacked out? Then people from squad twelve started coming around and saw me on the grass. They thought I was attacked by the culprit." She laughed and then fainted.

He rushed to her side and shook her.

"Green light…" he murmured. _Maybe it had affected her spiritual pressure for its fluctuating._

_Kurosaki residence_

"Hey, Karin, when was your talent show again?" Ichigo asks her sister.

"Hmp, they moved the date. It's on Friday. That's why I'm not playing soccer with my friends for the mean time."

"Nii-chan, Is father not here yet?" Yuzu asked her brother while taking something out from the oven.

"What's that? It smells delicious!" Rukia exclaimed.

"No, He's not here yet."

"Tadaima!" Their father shouted from the door.

"Oh, there he is…"Karin said, not sounding so surprised.

After dinner, at Ichigo's room…

"We've met a bunch of people possessing weird powers lately. And some creatures like hollows but aren't really hollows…" Rukia buzzed on while she doodles.

"Huh? What's that? Something big passed over that window?" Kon asked Ichigo.

"I don't know, maybe… a ghost?"

"Heeh? What's that you're doing, Rukia nee-chan?" Kon hops beside Rukia, nervous.

"Huh? There it is again… can you hear it Rukia?" Ichigo asks, placing the book he has been reading on his bed.

"What?" Rukia stopped doodling on her sketchpad.

"Can you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Kon asks, now terrified and is burying his pushy lion face on Rukia's breasts.

_Help me! sssSave me from this misery!help! help! Help!_

"That's creepy!" Rukia yells as she magically appeared next to Ichigo.

"That's not the cry of a normal person isn't it?"

"Let's check it out."

"Kon." Ichigo ordered, grabbing him awkwardly from Rukia.

"Huh?" Ichigo grabs the lion stuff toy and grabs the soul pill inside its body and wipes it before swallowing it.

Both of them went out of their bodies and checked it out.


End file.
